Attorney Sentenced to 10 Years for Stealing Road Accident Fund Payouts
An attorney who stole Road Accident Fund (RAF) compensation meant for vulnerable victims has been sentenced to ten years direct imprisonment by the Middelburg Serious Commercial Crimes Court.Jo-Anne Mantladi Mmela (44), formerly practicing under the firm Mmela and Associates, was found guilty on four counts of theft after redirecting RAF payouts into an account not belonging to the intended beneficiaries.According to police, Mmela had been appointed to process a RAF claim on behalf of a child who had been injured in a road accident.
The RAF processed the payment and deposited the funds into the attorney’s trust account, as required by law. Instead of transferring the money to the child’s guardian, Mmela allegedly diverted the funds to another individual’s account while falsely claiming she had paid the family.A complaint was lodged, leading to an investigation by the Middelburg-based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team. Mmela was arrested in September 2022 and later released on R25 000 bail.
However, she failed to appear in court on 5 December 2022, prompting a warrant of arrest.In February 2024, police issued a public appeal for assistance in tracing her. With the help of community members, Mmela was located in Pretoria, re-arrested, and denied bail. While she was in custody, more victims came forward, resulting in three additional charges of RAF-related theft being added to the case.After a lengthy court process, the Middelburg Commercial Crimes Court handed down a ten-year direct imprisonment sentence on Thursday, 20 November 2025.
Investigators welcomed the judgement, describing it as an important step in protecting RAF beneficiaries, many of whom are vulnerable accident victims relying on the funds for medical care and daily support.Authorities encouraged the public to continue reporting suspected fraud, especially in cases involving professionals entrusted with handling compensation on behalf of vulnerable residents.
