Rasheed Mahfouz Sentenced for Fraud, Forgery, and Corruption
Rasheed Mahfouz was sentenced on Thursday for multiple crimes, including fraud, forgery, and corruption. These charges originated from incidents last year when Mahfouz unlawfully issued medical certificates and dispensed medication using the credentials of a legitimate doctor. His deceit was uncovered in February 2023, resulting in his arrest.
During his bail hearing, Mahfouz allegedly attempted to bribe a court official to destroy the case docket, leading to an additional corruption charge. On 21 November 2024, the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crimes Court convicted Mahfouz. Western Cape Hawks spokesperson Siyabulela Vukubi confirmed that Mahfouz was sentenced for offenses under the Health Professions Act and the Medicines and Related Substances Act, along with the fraud, forgery, and corruption charges.
This is not Mahfouz's first encounter with the law. In 2020, he was found guilty of similar crimes and received a fine of R5,000 and a five-year suspended sentence on the condition that he refrain from committing similar offenses.
