A Northern Cape woman who submitted a fake matric certificate to secure a job as a license testing officer at the Siyathemba Local Municipality has been fined R60 000.
This is after the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Kimberly found Patricia Staffing guilty of fraud and forgery.
According to Mojalefa Senokoatsan, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson, Staffa who was an official at the Siyathemba local municipality, misrepresented herself in her curriculum vitae and later claimed during an interview that she was in possession of valid school-leaving particulars.
Senokoatsane said: “Patricia Staffa was successfully appointed by the municipality after the interviews and was later registered with Gene Louw College for a course or training that was to assist her in being a qualified licence testing officer. As part of the enrolment process at the college, the accused was expected to submit a copy of her matric certificate.
“The accused became reluctant when she was told to submit a copy of her qualification as required. The accused forged or manufactured a matric certificate and later presented the fictitious certificate to the head of Gene Louw College. The submission led to the investigation into the authenticity of the accused matric certificate.
“Through the collaboration between Umalusi, the Department of Education, and employees of the municipality were called by the prosecution team. The accused elected not to testify or call witnesses during her trial.”
Staffa who is no longer employed at the municipality, was sentenced to a fine of R60 000- or three years imprisonment.
She was sentenced to a further two years’ imprisonment, which was wholly suspended for five years, on the condition that she is not convicted of fraud, forgery and theft.
“The accused is expected to pay R2500 on or before the 7th of each month, starting from 7 December 2022, until the last payment,” said Senokoatsane.
Source: Kossy Derrickent, News24, Sunday World, image from Twitter: @MDNnewss