A maintenance officer at Brits Magistrates’ Court, Tshilumela Rakhadani (46), and a maintenance court investigating officer, Alpheus Manda Kabinde (51), stand accused of allegedly colluding with accomplices Anza Devon Mphephu (30) and Mamello Unice Morapedi (24) to falsely claim maintenance from an innocent 60-year-old pensioner.
According to police spokesperson Sergeant Kelebogile Morake, the two court officials colluded with Mphephu and his girlfriend, Morapedi, who falsely claimed to be the pensioner’s second wife in order to receive spousal maintenance. Subsequently, R240 000 from the pensioner’s pension fund money was paid to her.
“An application for spousal maintenance was completed and a court order was signed by the Maintenance Officer, authorising the bank to approve and deposit R240 000 into the account of the woman posing as the victim’s second wife,” Sergeant Morake said.
The pensioner approached the Brits Maintenance Court several times but was not assisted until he approached the court manager, who initiated an internal investigation. This led to the opening of a criminal fraud case.
“Investigations revealed that the two Department of Justice employees and their accomplices allegedly shared the R240 000 among themselves. During the course of the investigation, the two Department of Justice employees resigned from their positions, and their pension funds are being withheld pending the outcome of the criminal case.”
The case was initially investigated in Brits but was later transferred to the North West Provincial Commercial Crime Investigation Unit.
The four accused will appear in court again on 23 July 2026.
