The net is closing in on corrupt government officials. This time, five suspects were arrested for fraud, theft, and money laundering of over R60 million in Mpumalanga.
Five additional suspects aged between 36 and 49 from the Delmas Licensing Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Piet Retief Department of Safety, Security and Liaison and Lydenburg Thaba Chweu Local Municipality are expected to appear before the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court today.
The suspects will be charged and detained pending their first court appearances today.
Their arrest happened during a joint operation by the Hawks’ Nelspruit-based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation and the National Anti-Corruption unit of the Road Traffic Management Corporation ( RTMC) and Special Investigation Unit ( SIU) on 14 September 2022 at Delmas, Lydenburg and Piet Retief, respectively for fraud, theft, and money laundering, amounting to R60 million.
Hawks Mpumalanga spokesperson Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi said the arrest was followed by an investigation carried the SIU in December 2018.
She said it was reported that information was received about employees who were extending expired vehicle discs to the owners of the vehicles.
“During further investigation by the Hawks, it was established that the cashiers colluded with the motorists after they saw the opportunity of trucks owing large amounts of money where officials would manipulate the system and extend the expiration dates of the vehicle licence discs and re-issuing the new disc that showed zero balance,” Sekgotodi said.
She said sometimes the truck owners would pay less money to what they were supposed to have paid, and the monies would then be paid to those cashiers for their own benefit, money meant for the department, which is termed money dumping, amounting to R60 million.
Sekgotodi said the total number of arrested suspects is 14.
She said more arrests are imminent, and the investigation is continuing.
The Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Major General Zodwa Mokoena, applauded the collaboration of the investigators from different law enforcement agencies, including those who ensured that the investigation was finalised and placed before court.
Mokoena further warned those who are still busy with corrupt activities that their day is coming.
‘’As the Hawks, we shall leave no stone unturned. We shall investigate and arrest perpetrators of crime without fear, favour or prejudice,” Mokoena said.