Daniel Mtimkulu, former head of engineering at South Africa’s Passenger Rail Agency (PRASA), was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison for fraud and forgery, including faking his engineering qualifications.
Mtimkulu, 49, was convicted in 2022 on three counts of fraud and forgery. He resigned from PRASA shortly before his arrest in 2015.
The Johannesburg special commercial crimes court handed down a 15-year sentence for the first count of fraud and six years for each of the other two counts, to be served concurrently. Mtimkulu must also repay 323,000 South African Rand (approximately $17,000 USD) to PRASA.
As PRASA’s engineering chief, Mtimkulu oversaw a $100 million deal to purchase train locomotives from Spain that were later found to be too tall for South Africa’s rail network. This contract was among several at PRASA linked to alleged bribes and kickbacks.
Mtimkulu falsely claimed to hold a master’s degree from a South African university and a doctorate in engineering management from a German university. He also fabricated a job offer from a German company, resulting in his annual salary increase from $90,000 to $155,000.
A recent report by a special investigative unit estimates that over $7 billion may have been lost to corruption at some of South Africa’s state-owned companies, including PRASA, between 2009 and 2018.
The case highlights ongoing challenges in South Africa’s efforts to combat fraud and mismanagement in its public sector. It also raises questions about oversight and vetting processes in state-owned enterprises.
AP
