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Legalbrief   |   your legal news hub Tuesday 30 June 2026

Chief on fraud charges

* The chief of the Bakgatla ba Kgafela, Nyalala Pilane (47), has gone on trial in the Mogwase Regional Court in North West on 43 charges of theft, involving R40m, corruption and defrauding the Land Bank of R13m.

He is appearing with Koos Motshegwa, who is facing a charge of theft involving R10 000, according to the Sowetan. Prosecutor Lizelle van Niekerk told the chief that he was fabricating the evidence so that he would be freed. He had used money intended for the tribe for himself. ‘You transferred tribal money into your own account with the intention of stealing it. You never got a mandate from the tribe to withdraw and use their money,’ said Van Niekerk. Full Sowetan report