Hlophe’s son fined for fraud

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Thuthuka Hlophe, son of Western Cape Judge-President John Hlophe, at the Bellville Regional Court. Photo: Mxolisi Madela

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Thuthuka Hlophe, son of Western Cape Judge-President John Hlophe, was sentenced on Monday to a fine of R10,000 or six months in prison for fraud.

He was sentenced to an additional 12 months' imprisonment, without the option of a fine, but conditionally suspended for three years.

Hlophe appeared in the Bellville Regional Court in Cape Town, before Magistrate Kenny Pieterse.

Pieterse ordered him to repay R8 000 advanced to him by a friend, who gave the money on the understanding that a cheque for R8 000 that Hlophe had deposited into the friend's account, was good.

As it turned out, the cheque “bounced”.

Monday's proceedings took the form of a plea bargain for the second time, but this time negotiated by Hlophe's new legal team, counsel Thembalihle Sidaki and attorney Njabula Masuku.

The charge involving the R8 000 related to one of the three fraud counts that were treated as one. A second fraud count related to two dishonoured cheques that Hlophe paid for the hire of a luxury car. The third involved a loan Hlophe applied for with Capitec Bank, with the fraudulent use of his cousin's identity document.

On a fourth count, Hlophe pleaded guilty to transgressing the Identification Act, this relating to his use of his cousin's identity document for the bank loan.

For this, Hlophe was sentenced to an additional six months' jail, conditionally suspended for three years.

At the request of his legal team, Hlophe was permitted to pay his R10 000 fine in two instalments - the first immediately and the second by August 7. - Sapa