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The news about Sibongile Mani, an alleged NSFAS thief death sentence, and funeral news is getting over on media. However, the news about her death sentence is a hoax, she was sentenced to five years.
On the other hand, the news about her funeral also appears to be fake as no news about her passing is reported till now.
Sibongile refused to testify about her crimes and denied culpability, although she did acknowledge spending the money.
She further mentioned that the money was “not spent on necessities for survival It was motivated by greed rather than need “.
Mani’s age and health were taken into account by the court, and Magistrate Olivier stated that Mani was an adult when she committed the offense.
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT OP-ED: Sibongile Mani: Justice cannot be done by imprisoning offenders as an example to others https://t.co/IGpt3ZIJGx
— ♟♠️Pheell⭕🦂 (@Pheello123) April 30, 2022
The court rejected Mani’s claim that she had no intention of depriving NSFAS of its funds and had no understanding of the terms of her loan arrangement with NSFAS.
Mani was apprehended in May 2018 by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Unit after IntelliMali initiated a theft investigation.
She was accused of failing to disclose the error and went on a shopping binge, spending over R800 000 in 73 days.
The State claimed that from 1 June, when the money was deposited into her account, until 13 August, when NSFAS discovered the irregularity, she spent an average of R11 000 every day.
However, several people believed that Mani was not suited for jail since she is not a risk to society and prisons are overcrowded.
“The penalty handed down to Sibongile is more akin to a death sentence. Since she has already suffered greatly psychologically and physically in the overcrowded jail cells,” said the president of the F4SD Student Forum, Jacky Nonong.
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