An East London court gave the first conviction in the Nelson Mandela memorial funding scandal yesterday and set the stage for dramatic testimony next year. Sensational claims of deaths threats emerged from taxi businessman Mzwandile Sokwali, whose wife Busisiwe Boti was let off on all charges. Sokwali and Boti were arrested early this year after their company, Victory Ticket 750cc, received R5.9-million from Buffalo City Metro, to transport mourners to various state services following Mandela’s death. The Dispatch had uncovered evidence that showed much of the money was misspent. Following a series of news reports, Hawks investigators further arrested senior metro officials, among them mayor Zukisa Ncitha and council speaker Luleka Simon-Ndzele. Yesterday, Sokwali – who pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering – and his wife entered into a plea bargain with the state. East London magistrate Fezeka Monakali acquitted Boti and found Sokwali and their company, Victory Ticket, guilty. “I find Victory Ticket guilty as charged and fine them R100000, with R50000 of it suspended. Also, [Sokwali] is sentenced to five years in prison, which is wholly suspended for five years,” said Monakali. Through his counsel advocate Terry Price SC, Sokwali told the court he was threatened with...
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