Lawyer jailed for 10 years over R3.3 million Road Accident Fund fraud

Zuko Komisa

A Mpumalanga lawyer, Jo-Anne Mantladi Mmela, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the theft of R3.3 million in Road Accident Fund (RAF) monies.
The lawyer was found guilty of misappropriating funds intended for several victims, including R1.4 million meant for an injured child, by diverting the money from her trust account.
The lengthy investigation and conviction followed her initial arrest, a brief release on bail, and subsequent capture after she absconded from court.

A 44-year-old Mpumalanga lawyer, Jo-Anne Mantladi Mmela, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Middelburg Serious Commercial Crimes Court for stealing R3.3 million in Road Accident Fund (RAF) monies.

The court’s ruling follows an extensive investigation that began with Mmela’s arrest in September 2022. The total misappropriated funds include R1.4 million meant for a child injured in a road crash, which was paid into her trust account.

Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson, Warrant Officer Thandi Tshabalala, confirmed that Mmela had diverted the R1.4 million to another individual’s account, despite falsely claiming the payment had been made to the child’s guardian.

Mmela was initially granted R25,000 bail but subsequently failed to appear in court and went on the run. A public appeal for information was issued in February 2024, leading to her capture near Pretoria. She was then held without bail.

Further investigations while she was in custody linked her to more victims who had collectively lost an additional R1.2 million, R200,000, and R550,000 through similar schemes. These cases were consolidated, demonstrating a clear pattern of missing RAF funds.