A bogus attorney, Zuko Madikane, who scammed a businessman out of R88,000 by posing as a lawyer, has had his three-year suspended prison sentence activated by the Johannesburg magistrate’s court.

The victim, owner of a high-turnover News Cafe in Newtown, suffered significant financial loss due to the fraud, which contributed to the collapse of his R12-million-per-year business.Madikane’s sentence had initially been suspended on the condition that he repay R44,000 to the victim, but he failed to comply.His co-accused, Judge Sibanda, was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended on condition he pays R10,000.Both accused attempted to overturn their convictions through appeals to higher courts, but their applications were dismissed.Under Section 297(9) of the Criminal Procedure Act, a suspended sentence can be enforced if the conditions are breached.

Following the court’s ruling, Madikane must now begin serving his term immediately, while Sibanda has been given a structured payment plan to fulfil his restitution obligations.The case serves as a cautionary tale about fraud in legal practice and the legal consequences of failing to meet court-ordered compensation.