Hawks crack down on alleged fraudsters in Buffalo City Metropolitan

The Hawks have arrested two suspects accused of executing fraudulent payments through the Buffalo City Metropolitan (BCM) health department in the Eastern Cape.

It is alleged 35-year-old Baxolile Ngoloyi, a systems controller at the municipality, transferred fraudulent payments to the company of 29-year-old Simthembile Smith who never rendered any services.

“Approximately R120 000 was paid out to the company while the department stopped a payment of R140 000 before it could be made as the latter suspected malpractice. The BCM reported the alleged crime to the Hawks in June 2018,” Hawks spokesperson Captain Anelisa Ngcakani said.

The two men were granted R500 bail each in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Port Elizabeth on Thursday.

In an unrelated arrest stemming from 2018, 42-year-old Samnkelo Nkwateni, an administration clerk at the East London department of labour, allegedly demanded payment for a letter of good standing for two businesspeople.

“One businessperson paid him R5 000 while the other one paid R3 000 for a letter the department in actual fact issues for free,” said Ngcakani.

“The department reported the alleged crime to the Hawks in November 2018 and they swiftly commenced with their investigation.”

Nkwateni will appear in the East London Magistrate’s Court on February 3 for a bail hearing.

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