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Police have arrested a tenth South African Revenue Service (SARS) official in connection with fraud worth over R600 million
Mogorosi Benedict Motelesi, 40, appeared alongside his fraud co-accused before the Ladybrand Magistrate’s Court in the Free State this week.
The other accused include Boitshoko Perseverance Mashodi, 38, Elvin Wilson, 40, Phakama Ndothayisa, 36, Xatyiswa Zona, 42, Selvin Derison, 36, Motlalepule Tes Modise, 38, Siphiwe Sedibeng, 36, Lwazi Simelani, 35, and Nomvakaliso Modolomba, 33.
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Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Fikiswa Matoti said the accused are facing several charges of fraud, money laundering, contraventions of the Tax Administration Act, Customs and Excise and contravention of Prevention of Organized Crime Act.
“It is alleged that the employees were stationed at Ficksburg Bridge, Maseru Bridge, and Vanrooyenshek Bridge where they facilitated 333 transactions to the amount to R653 500 455.28. All identified transactions were imported consignments/cargo (textile) in bond (Removal in Bond) from the Durban port of entry to be exported.
“Seven of the accused were arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team on 6 and 7 June 2024. They were joined by two more suspects for their first court appearance in the Ladybrand Magistrates’ Court on 10 June 2024. All suspects are out on bail ranging between R1500 and R5 000,” Matoti said.
Matoti added that the matter was transferred to the Bloemfontein Regional Court for trial on 12 August 2024.
Meanwhile, Sars has already paid out R10 billion to taxpayers after it concluded its Auto-Assessment on Sunday, 14 July 2024.
Sars Commissioner, Edward Kieswetter led a media briefing on Tuesday to give an update on the tax season, which is set to run till 21 October for non-provisional taxpayers and till 20 January 2025 for provisional taxpayers.
Kieswetter said millions of taxpayers have already been assisted, with at least R10 billion worth of returns paid out to 1.6 million taxpayers at an average of R5 900 per person. 191 000 returns were filed on Monday, 15 July from that number, 183 000 returns were filed digitally.
Additionally reporting by Tshehla Cornelius Koteli
ALSO READ: Sars says R10 billion worth of tax returns already paid with an average of R5 900 per person
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