Sixth suspect to join Dr Tumi in dock for lottery fraud

The Palm Ridge Commercial Crime Court has granted R3,000 bail to the sixth suspect arrested for allegedly defrauding the National Lotteries Board (NLB) of R1.5 million.

The case is related to the arrest in April of popular gospel musician Dr Tumi, real name Tumisang Victor Makweya, and his co-accused on allegations of fraud.

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The Hawks in Gauteng arrested Fulufhelo Promise Kharivhe, 41, this week and charged her with fraud for allegedly altering a grant application submitted to the NLB for funding in October 2018.

Kharivhe and her co-accused were allegedly listed as committee members of a non-profit organisation.

In April, Makweya and his wife, Kgaogelo Sara Makweya, were arrested and charged with fraud.

The couple were released on bail of R3,000 each and their two co-accused of R5,000 each.

On Friday, Hawks spokesperson Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu said Kharivhe handed herself in at the Hawks’ Johannesburg office on Wednesday morning. She was accompanied by her legal representatives.

“Investigations revealed that in October 2018, an amount of R200,000 was transferred into Kharivhe’s company Thwala Front (Pty) Ltd’s bank account from a non-profit organisation named The Message. The said organisation has Doctor Tumisang Makweya “Dr Tumi”, 39, and wife, Kgaogelo Makweya, 36, listed as committee members,” Mulamu said in a statement.

Makweya, his wife and their co-accused appeared in court on Wednesday along with Kharivhe.

The six suspects are expected back in court on 14 July 2021.

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