A former police officer, Obokeng Diale (39), and two SARS Customs officials, Gosego Gaebetswe (31) and Shimane Motshabi (51), were each granted R10 000 bail with strict conditions at the Lehurutse Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
They were arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime unit in Mahikeng last Friday for ghost fuel export fraud.
The case has been remanded to 29 January 2019 for further investigation.
According to Capt. Tlangelani Rikhotso, the NW Hawks spokesperson, the trio was arrested following investigations into an alleged fraudulent fuel scheme where the former police officer would allegedly pay the customs officials approximately R35 000 per transaction, to process fictitious transactions which implied that fuel was being exported through the Skilpadshek border post.
‘Thereafter documents would allegedly be submitted to SARS to claim revenue for the fuel trade that never took place.
‘It is alleged that the money involved is over R3 million and the Priority Crime Specialised Investigations unit of the Hawks in North West is already looking into the assets of the suspects, which may have been acquired through the proceeds of crime. Meanwhile, more arrests have not been ruled out pending an ongoing investigation.
