Kupelo to apply for discharge in matric certificate fraud case

Senior health department employee Sizwe Kupeloplans to bring a Section 174 discharge application in his fraud case. The request to acquit the deputy director for communications was made by the defence at the close of the state’s because, it said, the prosecution had failed to present sufficient evidence for a conviction. However, the state has indicated it will oppose the application.

After the state wrapped up its case against Kupelo in the East London commercial crimes court on Monday, his attorney, Elias Makhanya, told the court they would bring the application. This was after the last state witness, senior forensic audit unit official Godfrey Howes, from the provincial treasury, testified. He said that sinceKupelo’s employmentin the office of the premier in April 2002 until last November and the health department, where he currently works, his remuneration had been more than R16m.

He said the investigating officer asked him to provide a statement regarding the earnings. Kupelo faces two counts of fraud, two counts of uttering and forgery. The case relates to him allegedly submitting fraudulent matric results to the department when they were requested by his supervisor, Siyanda Manana.

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It was made very clear even earlier on that he doesn’t have a matric certificate. We placed it on record On the sidelines of the trial, Makhanya said the case was still sub judice, but that the state had failed to prove loss and harm it suffered through his employment. He maintained that there was no matric requirement for the position Kupelo was employed for in 2002.

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