Limpopo Hawks confirms second arrest in R3.2 million UIF fraud case
A second suspect was arrested after they attempted to conceal evidence related to the case.
LIMPOPO – The Hawks have confirmed a second arrest in connection with an ongoing fraud investigation against a female director of a company in Mtititi. This arrests comes after the instigating team received a tip off that the suspect withdrew over R150 000 from the account of the said company in an attempt to conceal it from the ongoing investigations, reads a statement issued by Hawks Spokesperson, Capt Matimba Maluleke.
The arrest was affected on Wednesday, 14 October in Giyani.
The 75-year-old man appeared in the Malamulele Magistrates’ Court today (Friday,16 October) on a charge of fraud and was remanded in custody until Monday for formal bail application, Maluleke confirmed.
The 47-year-old director was arrested by the same team on 9 October, following investigation into allegations of fraud related to the Covid-19 social relief funds.
In an earlier report, Hawks Spokesperson, Capt Matimba Maluleke said that between April and August, the accused is alleged to have claimed R3,2 million in Covid-19 social relief funds from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) on behalf of her 242 former Malamulele-based Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers.
Investigations into this matter revealed that the workers’ contracts were terminated in March, before the country moved into lockdown. “It is further alleged that the claimed money never reached the pockets of the former workers.”
She has since appeared in the same court on charges of fraud, theft, and money laundering and was remanded in custody until 19 October when she is expected to make a formal bail application.
Maluleke added that investigations in this regard still continue.
