MASERU – A 32-year-old man who masqueraded as a travel agent and defrauded a local high school of M67 200 appeared in court this week charged with fraud.
The money was meant for a school trip to Durban for students from ’Mabathoana High School.
The court papers show that Teboho Thakholi “unlawfully and with intent to defraud did misrepresent to ‘Mabathoana High School and or Mpho Mphakalasi or Mathealira Kholopo or Ntsubise Mopeli that he is an agent for a tourist and touring business for out of the country trips”.
Thakholi allegedly promised to arrange for ’Mabathoana High School students a trip to Durban upon payment of a certain amount of money.
The court papers said following the misrepresentation, Thakholi was given M67 200 as deposit to arrange accommodation for the students at two hotels in Durban.
Thakholi, because of his misrepresentation, further presented to the students a tax invoice purporting to be a deposit for accommodation issued by the hotels, the charge sheet says.
Alternatively, Thakholi allegedly failed to reveal that the tax invoice was not issued by the hotels and caused the school to act upon such a misrepresentation when at all time he knew that he had not secured accommodation for the students.
“The tax invoice was not duly and lawfully issued, and the accused did commit a crime of fraud alternatively attempted fraud,” the charge sheet reads.
Thakholi appeared before the Maseru magistrate on June 7.
He was granted a bail of M1000 and M20 000 surety. Thakholi will appear again in court on July 13.
The Police Commercial Crimes Counter Unit has investigated the case and brought the accused before the court.
The principal of the school declined to comment on the incident as the matter is now in court.
Majara Molupe