Zuko Komisa

- Johannes Tebogo Motse received a six-year prison sentence for posing as a lawyer.
- He forged legal documents and defrauded clients, including one for R15,000.
- The NPA highlighted the need to protect the public from such bogus practitioners.
A man who masqueraded as a legal professional, Johannes Tebogo Motse, has been handed a six-year direct prison sentence after being found guilty on a raft of charges, including fraud, theft, forgery, and uttering.
The sentencing took place in the Specialised Commercial Crime Court, sitting in Rustenburg.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Motse unlawfully represented unsuspecting clients in various courts throughout 2022. He meticulously forged crucial legal documents, including a right of appearance certificate, a fidelity fund certificate, and an admission certificate, to deceive his victims.
One complainant reportedly paid Motse R15,000 to handle an appeal, but received no legal service in return. This prompted the client to report the matter to the police, with subsequent investigations revealing that Motse was not, in fact, registered with the Legal Practice Council of South Africa.
Motse pleaded guilty to all charges. During the sentencing proceedings, State Advocate Matshidiso Ramakgaphola highlighted the rampant nature of such crimes within the court’s jurisdiction and emphasised the premeditated and elaborate nature of Motse’s offences.
For the charges of fraud, forgery, and uttering, which were taken together for sentencing, Motse received six years of direct imprisonment. Additionally, he was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for theft, which has been wholly suspended for five years on the condition that he repays the complainant the R15,000 by 31st August 2025. He has also been declared unfit to possess a firearm.
Dr. Rachel Makhari, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, commented on the outcome, stating, “These sentences underscore the NPA’s commitment to combating bogus legal practitioners and protecting the integrity of the legal profession and the public.”
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