International   

Winnie could face 15-year jail

PRETORIA APRIL 24. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the former wife of the South African leader, Nelson Mandela, was convicted on Thursday for theft and fraud involving $120,000. Her financial adviser, Addy Moolman, was also convicted. Ms. Winnie Mandela could be sentenced to 15 years in jail.

The trial marked the latest setback for Ms. Winnie Mandela, who had played a role in the nation's successful anti-apartheid campaign led by Mr. Mandela. She and Mr Moolman sat next to each other as the magistrate, Peet Johnson, read out his verdict for two and a half hours.

He said her "evidence was totally improbable" that she did not know about the fraud. On the theft charges, he said she was an accomplice to Mr. Moolman. Ms. Winnie and Mr. Moolman had pleaded innocent to 60 charges of fraud and 25 of theft involving $120,000 at the African National Congress Women's League, which she leads. The prosecution said letters on organisation stationery that bore her signature were used to fraudulently obtain bank loans in the name of bogus employees, including her daughter, Zinzi. The theft charges relate to money deducted from the bank accounts of loan applicants for a funeral policy that the prosecution says did not exist.

Concluding her testimony last month, Ms Madikizela-Mandela said she signed the documents, handed to her by her secretary, without checking them.Ms Madikizela-Mandela was convicted of 43 counts of fraud and 25 of theft, while Mr. Moolman was found guilty of 58 counts of fraud and 25 of theft.

AP

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Situation turns grim as toll goes up
• 'Armitage visit will cover all aspects'
• LTTE pursuing violent, separatist agenda: U.S.
• Syria still suspicious of U.S. intent
• Pak. House faces dissolution?
• Powell, Chinese leader discuss N. Korea
• Govt. process by next week: Garner
• Concern over population decline in Russia
• 5 indicted for plot to kill Musharraf
• Keep off Iraq, U.S. tells Iran
• Winnie could face 15-year jail
• 'Labour MP got money from Benazir Govt.'
• Tip of the iceberg?
• Pak. still supporting terror groups in J&K: CIA

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu