Hawks on the Hunt for Lawyer Accused of Embezzling R1.8 Million from RAF Client

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, commonly known as the Hawks, has issued a public plea for assistance in tracking down a lawyer, Mantladi Jo-Anne Mmela, who is accused of absconding with a substantial sum of R1.8 million, meant for a Road Accident Fund (RAF) client. Mmela has become a fugitive from justice after she failed to make her scheduled court appearance, sparking a province-wide search by authorities in Mpumalanga.

The case began in September 2022, when Mmela was arrested and later appeared before the Middelburg Magistrates’ Court on the 21st of the same month. Despite being released on R25,000 bail, Mmela's compliance with the legal process came to an abrupt end when she did not present herself to the court on the adjourned date of December 5, 2022. Since that day, her whereabouts have remained unknown, and the seriousness of the charges against her has prompted increased efforts by the Hawks to locate her.

Warrant Officer Thandi Tshabalala, the Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson, detailed the chain of events leading to Mmela's current fugitive status. Mmela was appointed as the attorney for a victim, whose child had suffered severe injuries in an automobile accident. After filing the claim with the RAF and successfully processing it, the subsequent payments were directed into Mmela's Trust account. Tshabalala reports that instead of transferring the funds to the victim's guardian, as was her duty, Mmela redirected the money to another account, effectively embezzling it.

The call for community assistance also extends to locating another suspected criminal, Amos Tineyi Kampinya, in a separate but related case. Kampinya, who worked as a manager at the Mugg & Bean restaurant in the Kruger National Park, is accused of stealing company funds amounting to nearly R900,000 during July 2022.

Both cases highlight the challenges faced by Hawks investigators in combating crime and corruption throughout Mpumalanga. The Hawks' efforts are hampered not only by the act of crime itself but also by the subsequent evasion of justice by the accused. As the search for both Mmela and Kampinya continues, the Hawks remain reliant on the vigilance and cooperation of community members to bring these individuals to justice.

People with information regarding the whereabouts of either Mmela or Kampinya are urged to step forward and contact the Hawks, specifically the investigating officer, Warrant Officer Zandile Mashaba at 082 ‪303 9880‬. The community's assistance in these matters is crucial to ensuring that justice is served for the victims of these alleged financial crimes.