Fugitive CFO in R5.4m fraud case turns himself in to police

A Limpopo chief financial officer (CFO) who had been on the run from the Directorate for Priority Investigations Crime (the Hawks) has finally handed himself to the police.

Spokesperson for the Hawks in Limpopo, Lieutenant-Colonel Matimba Maluleke, told The Citizen the CFO handed himself to the Groblersdal police station yesterday.

Maluleke said the Hawks called the CFO on Thursday, telling him they were coming to his house.

“But when we arrived, he was nowhere to be found,” he said.

“We went to his place of work and still there was no sight of him. We camped at his Modimolle house since then until he handed himself today.

“We are happy that he handed himself over to the police so that he could have a chance to face the law. But we must warn that running away from the police is a serious punishable crime in the face of the law.”

The CFO was sought for a crime he allegedly committed in July 2018. He was working at the Sekhukhune district municipality when R5.4 million went missing from municipal accounts.

A case of fraud and theft was opened with the Hawks.

The Hawks said the five were sought in a case emanating from a tender awarded by the municipality to different companies to provide security services.

It is alleged the CFO and an administrator connived with companies who never rendered any services to the council and deposited the money into their accounts.

The money was allegedly shared among themselves.

“As a result, the companies that rendered the services did not receive their payments,” the Hawks said.

On Thursday, three alleged accomplices – former municipal official Andries Mokgotho,45, and two service providers, Bongani Masupye, 34, and Shivhadana Murovhi, 39, – were arrested.

A senior administration officer Kedibone Magagane and the CFO were nowhere to be found. Police searched for the two, including camping at their houses.

Magagane, however, handed herself to the police the following day, on Friday. Mokgotho, Masupye and Murovhi appeared in the Groblersdal Magistrate’s Court on Friday, facing charges of fraud and theft.

They were remanded in custody until 4 October for a formal bail application. Magagane appeared yesterday in court and will appear alongside the three for a formal bail application.

The 42-year-old CFO is due to appear in court today. Municipal spokesperson Maredi Kgetjepe said the council will comment after all suspects have appeared in court.