Bina Mfandifuna Masuku (44) and Elvis Kgosiemang (35) were arrested and appeared in court last week following investigations into corruption and fraud at the Mpumalanga Master of the High Court’s office.
Masuku has been charged with fraud, corruption, money laundering and contravention of the Illegal Immigration Act. Kgosiemang has been charged with fraud, corruption, money laundering and impersonating a lawyer.
Both were remanded in custody and set to appear before the Nelspruit Magistrate Court on Monday. The defence requested time to prepare for bail and both cases were postponed to Wednesday.
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Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi of the Hawks confirmed that the investigation was launched by the Serious Commercial Investigations team.
“We have been probing the alleged siphoning of claimants’ funds from the Master’s office for almost two years.”
This after several complaints were lodged by victims.
Masuku was arrested on Thursday and Kgosiemang handed himself over to the police on Friday morning.
During the course of the investigation it was also uncovered that Masuku, a Malawian national, misrepresented the state by claiming to be South African. She allegedly bought fraudulent papers from someone within the Department of Home Affairs.
The Department of Home Affairs’ immigration division has meanwhile finalised its investigation into her status in the country.
The Hawks also discovered that she submitted false documents to the Department of Justice when applying for a job.
Mulaudzi added that it was established that Masuku allegedly directed claimants to her so-called lawyer boyfriend to process their claims. “Some claimants never received their money. Instead it was shared among the two.”
To date approximately R1,7 million has disappeared from eight families.
Mulaudzi confirmed that Masuku was suspended in June when she allegedly tried to interfere with the Hawks investigation.
On Friday a search and seizure operation was conducted at the boyfriend’s offices in Mbombela as part of the ongoing investigation.
It is suspected that the missing R1,7 million is just the tip of the iceberg. Several more victims have since lodged complaints.
Affected members of the Mpumalanga community are urged to contact Capt Mandla Mphephethe on 071-481-3295.
