THE case laid by Tokyo Sexwale on the White Spiritual Boy Trust has been put to bed by law enforcement.
In 2021, the ANC veteran and businessman claimed that billions of rands from the Heritage Fund earmarked for the poor had been stolen.
Sexwale opened a case with the Hawks to assist him in investigating the alleged theft on the fund which he was heading.
According to the national head for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya, the investigation has concluded and the allegations have been found to be unsubstantiated.
Lebeya was briefing the media on Thursday, 15 June, on the National Priority Offences which depict DPCI successes and high-profile cases investigated in the fourth quarter of 2022.
He said during the fourth quarter, the DPCI arrested at least 701 suspects that were successfully secured before the various courts across the country and 284 accused people were convicted and sentenced which earned them a title of being a criminal.
"Thirty eight suspects were arrested by the DPCI for cash-in-transit (CIT) heists while four were convicted and sentenced during this quarter. Over and above, 30 suspects were arrested for CIT related offences.
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"A total of 13 suspects were arrested by the DPCI for murder of police officials while six were convicted and sentenced to share 10 life imprisonment terms," he said.
Lebeya said the DPCI continues to jointly respond to those who committed crimes relating to the Covid-19 Relief Fund as co-ordinated at the Fusion Centre, which is housed at the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC).
He said by the end of May 2023, 194 suspects were brought to book.
"Of these, 49 out of 52 accused were convicted which represents a 94% conviction rate. I shall only highlight 32 cases which represent 3% of these 985 successes. In this sample, 19 cases are for convictions while 13 are for arrest.
"In the 19 cases for convictions, 116 persons have been convicted while in 13 arrest cases, 39 suspects have been arrested. These 39 suspects are now added to their co-accused on the court roll which makes 75 accused persons in these 13 cases that makes an average of six accused per case," he said.
He said some of the convictions included a 45-year term and a life term for the killing of a police officer, as well as a wife who was sentenced for killing her retired husband, 40 years imprisonment meted on a police murderer, three life sentences for police killers, sentence in a case involving two slain hawks officers, and CIT guard sentenced to 15 years imprisonment amongst others.
