Court admin clerks in the dock for ‘defrauding’ justice department of more than R1m

Two suspects arrested for allegedly defrauding the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development of more than R1 million on Thursday are expected to appear in the Bethlehem Magistrate’s Court.

The suspects, aged 35 and 37, were arrested on Wednesday by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team based in Bloemfontein.

They face charges of fraud, theft, forgery, and uttering in connection with allegations that they defrauded the department of third party funds received from clients while they were employed as senior admin clerks at the Warden Magistrate’s Court.

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According to police spokesperson Captain Christopher Singo, the duo was entrusted to receive and bank the money for the department. However, they allegedly used some of the money that they were supposed to bank for their own benefit.

“The incident took place between the period of 2018 and 2020. As a result of these fraudulent activities, the Department of Justice was prejudiced and suffered a total loss of more than R1 million.

“A case docket was registered and handed over to the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team based in Bloemfontein for further investigation which culminated in the arrest of the duo yesterday, 1 June 2022,” Singo said in a statement.

Fraudster sentenced

Meanwhile, a licencing department official from Mpumalanga on Wednesday was found guilty and sentenced by the Ermelo Magistrate Court on 50 counts of corruption and fraud.

Sello Jerry Thomo, 50, was sentenced after a lengthy investigation by the Hawks into allegations that he fraudulently issued learners and driving licences to people who were not tested, while working at the Ermelo licencing office.

Licence holders testified in court that they paid him money to get licenses without being tested.

Thomo was arrested by members of the Hawks Mpumalanga Serious Corruption Investigation in October 2007.

He was sentenced to nine years imprisonment for corruption of which three years were suspended for five years. His sentence for fraud was four years.

The sentences were expected to run concurrently.

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