KZN fleet manager sentenced to prison for fuel card fraud

A vehicle fleet manager, convicted of fraud after using a state fuel card to purchase fuel while the vehicle was in for repairs, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison, with half of the sentence suspended for five years.

The Pietermaritzburg Regional Court found 58-year-old Vusimuzi Mtshali guilty of fraud and gave him the option to pay a R6,000 fine instead of serving his full sentence.

The conviction stems from a February 2017 incident when a state vehicle booked for repairs was fraudulently used to purchase fuel at Umfolozi garage.

Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) spokesperson Warrant Officer Sibu Ncane said the fraud was uncovered when the station commander discovered that the vehicle’s fuel card had been used to make a purchase while the vehicle was still at the garage.

"A thorough investigation confirmed that the vehicle was indeed at the garage when the fuel was purchased," said Ncane.

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The total amount of fuel fraudulently bought with the state fuel card was R7,379 over time.

Following the discovery, the station commander opened a case of fraud at Nondweni Police Station, which was later handed over to the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation Unit in Durban for further investigation.

"After a comprehensive investigation, Vusimuzi, the vehicle fleet manager as well as a senior administration clerk at Nondweni Police station, were arrested and charged with fraud," said Ncane.

After multiple court appearances, Mtshali was found guilty on Monday, March 3, and sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment, with half of the sentence suspended for five years.

The KwaZulu-Natal Hawks Provincial Head, major general Lesetja Senona, commended the effective cooperation between the Nondweni Police Station and the Hawks in bringing the case to justice.

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