Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandaughter Lata Ramgobin was found guilty in a fraud and forgery case in South Africa. A Durban court has sentenced Lata to seven years in jail.
The 56-year-old Ashish Lata Ramgobin, great-granddaughter of the leader of the Indian freedom movement was found guilty of a six million rand or $442,000 fraud and forgery by Durban court.
Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court also refused leave to appeal both the conviction and the sentence to Ramgobin.
Lata Ramgobin is the daughter of well-known activist Ela Gandhi and the late Mewa Ramgovind. Both her parents have played a key role in reviving the Phoenix Settlement founded by Mahatma Gandhi during his tenure in South Africa.
According to reports, Lata is accused of defrauding SR Maharaj, a business figure, who owns the New Africa Alliance Footwear. Maharaj had given 6.2 million rands to Lata.
The payment was given as an advance for clearing import and customs duties for a consignment that Ramgobin had assured was to arrive from India. The consignment, however, never existed in reality and SR Maharaj was yet promised a share of profits after customs clearance.
The trial in the case against Lata Ramgobin started in 2015. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) had said that she allegedly provided forged invoices and documents to convince potential investors that three containers of linen were being shipped in from India.
However, Lata Ramgobin was released on bail of 50,000 rands at that time.
Lata Ramgobin had lured Maharaj by telling him that she had imported three containers of linen for the South African Hospital Group NetCare when she met Maharaj in August 2015.
“She said she was experiencing financial difficulties to pay for import costs and customs and she needed the money to clear the goods at the harbour,” NPA spokesperson Natasha Kara said on Monday.
To convince Maharaj, Lata showed him a signed purchase order for the goods, a NetCare invoice and a delivery note as proof that the goods were delivered and payment was imminent.
Because of her family credentials and NetCare documents, Maharaj had entered into a written agreement with Lata Ramgobin for the loan. However, all the documents were found to be forged and he laid criminal charges against Lata which on Monday, ended her imprisonment for seven years.
Lata had disguised herself as an activist with a focus on environmental, societal and political interests. She also founded the Participative Development Initiative at the NGO International Centre for Non-Violence.
Ramgobin’s mother Ela Gandhi is internationally recognised for her efforts, including national honours from both India and South Africa. She was also a Member of Parliament in South Africa from 1994 to 2004.
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