Durban: Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the ex-wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela, was on April 24 found guilty of fraud and theft amounting to nearly a million Rands ($131,000) and faces a maximum of 15 years in jail.

Magistrate Peet Johnson of the Pretoria Regional Court found the leader of African National Congress (ANC) Women's League guilty on 43 charges of fraud and 25 of theft.

Her co-accused Addy Moolman, a financial broker, was convicted on all 60 charges of fraud and 25 of theft.

The trial started in July 2002 and saw 23 witnesses testifying for the state. Madikizela-Mandela and Moolman went into the witness box in their own defence. Madikizela-Mandela, who is also an ANC MP and Moolman were found guilty of defrauding the now defunct Sambou Bank by submitting loan applications oN behalf of fictitious members of the ANC Womens' League.

MaDikizela-Mandela will be sentenced within the next day or two and faces a maximum of 15 years in jail.

PTI