RAF employee accused of corruption, released on R4,000 bail

A Road Accident Fund (RAF) employee has appeared in court on charges of corruption after she requested R4 000 to process claims.

The legal costs officer, Hazel Mathebula, 29, was reported by a consultant for Ditau Legal Costs who is responsible for drafting bills of costs for law firms and submitting them to the RAF for settlement, Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said.

“On 6 October, the accused received a WhatsApp message from the complainant, who wanted to know if they are back at their offices since her colleague was not responding to his messages,” said Mjonondwane.

She confirmed that she was able to assist the complainant, saying she charged R4 000 to capture 10 files on the system.

She added that the payment would include preferential facilitation of the claims.

The complainant alerted the RAF and a trap was set for the accused. It was arranged that they would meet at a restaurant in East Rand Mall on Saturday and the files and money would be exchanged.

Mathebula was arrested and the files and cash were in her possession, according to Mjonondwane.

The accused appeared in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday and was released on R4 000 bail.

The matter was postponed to 25 November.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.