No to ‘Pens Down’ Parties
November 21, 2025NOVEMBER TENDERS
November 21, 2025
An attorney from Mpumalanga has been sentenced to ten years of direct imprisonment after being found guilty on four counts of theft involving Road Accident Fund (RAF) payments. Jo-Anne Mantladi Mmela (44) was sentenced on Thursday, 20 November 2025, by the Middelburg Serious Commercial Crimes Court.
Mmela, who operated under her law firm, Mmela and Associates, had been appointed to manage an RAF claim on behalf of a child. After the RAF processed the claim and transferred the payout into her trust account, she diverted the funds into another person’s account. She later claimed that she had paid the money to the child’s guardian, which was found to be untrue.
A complaint was lodged, prompting an investigation by the Middelburg-based Serious Commercial Investigation team. Mmela was arrested on 20 September 2022 and appeared in the Middelburg Magistrates’ Court the next day, where she was granted bail of R25 000. The matter was postponed to 5 December 2022 for further investigation, but the attorney absconded and failed to appear.
A media statement issued on 21 February 2024 appealed to the public for assistance in locating her. Thanks to information received, investigators traced and arrested Mmela in Pretoria. She was denied bail and remained in custody. During this period, additional victims came forward, leading to three more counts of RAF-related theft being added to her charges.
On 20 November 2025, the Middelburg Commercial Crimes Court handed down a sentence of ten years’ direct imprisonment. The Provincial Head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga welcomed the ruling, praising both the investigative team and the National Prosecuting Authority for securing a firm and appropriate sentence.
