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Eastern Cape Health Department spokesperson, Sizwe Kupelo, intends to plead not guilty to charges of fraud, uttering and forgery brought against him.
This was heard in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in East London on Thursday, where he stands accused of falsifying his matric certificate to get a job in the Health Department over 20 years ago.
The State is expected to call seven witnesses, while Kupelo will take the stand, along with one other witness to defend his name.
His three day trial is expected to run from 15 to 17 of October, with his attorney, Elias Makhanya, saying Kupelo will maintain his innocence.
“The departmental enquiry was correct to acquit Kupelo of all charges. Firstly, there was no requirement that he must produce a matric certificate when he was interviewed in 2001.”
Kupelo’s charges follow a skills and qualifications audit by the Health Department in 2020, where he was allegedly found to have submitted a fraudulent certificate when he started working for the department.
Makhanya said; “You cannot address interpersonal problems at the workplace with criminal charges. We have got a view that there is completely no case against Sizwe Kupelo.”
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