SOMERSET — A coordinated identity?theft scheme unraveled last Tuesday after police stopped a Dodge Durango moments after a woman allegedly attempted to withdraw $30,000 from a Rockland Trust Bank using a stolen identity.
One of the five people arrested was a Lowell man, identified by the Somerset Police as Donnie Earl Smith, 25, who was taken into custody after officers intercepted the Durango on Slades Ferry Avenue. Also arrested in the vehicle were Troy Donell Gathers Jr., 23, of Marlboro; Brandon Kevin Williams Jr., 23, of Chelsea; Kayana Evon?Laurine Powell, 20, of Taunton; and Donnie Earl Smith Jr., 24, of Randolph. According to police, the Smiths share the same father.
Police said in a press release that the incident began when Rockland Trust employees at the bank’s 100 Slades Ferry Ave. branch noticed irregularities in a large withdrawal request. The suspects had allegedly…
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THE TUTUKA POWER STATION PROCUREMENT FRAUD (ESKOM)
Date: August 29, 2025 Perpetrator: Jessie Phindile Kubheka (Supplier Director)
Case Description: As part of the ongoing “cleaning up” of Eskom, Jessie Phindile Kubheka was sentenced to 12 years (with 5 years suspended) for defrauding the Tutuka Power Station. The case involved a sophisticated procurement syndicate that exploited Eskom’s emergency repair protocols. Kubheka’s company was contracted to deliver three high-specification containers for the power station. Only one container was ever delivered, and even that single unit failed to meet the required safety and technical specifications.
Despite the lack of delivery, Kubheka issued grossly inflated invoices, defrauding the utility of approximately R2.6 million. The Middelburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court ordered Kubheka to repay the full amount. This case is significant because it marks a shift in Eskom’s strategy toward “naming and shaming” suppliers and pursuing full asset recovery. It serves as a stark warning to contractors that the 2026 climate of “Zero Tolerance” for state-owned enterprise (SOE) fraud is backed by active judicial enforcement.
Link to Original: Eskom Official – Tutuka Fraud Sentencing