Several medical practitioners could face the full might of the law after allegedly defrauding the Department of Labour’s Compensation Fund of millions of rand over the past two years.
This week, two practitioners appeared in court on charges of fraud and money laundering after allegedly submitting fake claims to the department for treatment they said they had given non-existent patients.
Abel Diokano, a physiotherapist, appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on four counts of fraud and two counts of money laundering involving more than R1 million. He faces the charges with six former employees of the department, Maxwell Ramaphosa, Samuel Mfeleng, Kgabo Methi, Debbie Venter, Tendani Mukomafhedzi and Billy Ramskin.
It is alleged that the then-employees of the department collaborated with Diokano by channelling the funds into his account. It is alleged four transfers were made and that money was later shared among the accused.
The case was postponed to February 13. Ramaphosa and Mfeleng are involved in two cases.
One case involves a Rustenburg physiotherapist, Jurry Sehunoe, who pleaded guilty in October to 15 counts of fraud and 26 of money laundering.
Sehunoe admitted to having received huge sums of money that were channelled into his personal bank account and those of his businesses, which included a driving school and a construction company.
He told the court that he was prepared to compensate the Department of Labour for the money deposited fraudulently into his accounts.
Earlier this month, Sehunoe was informed that the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) in the Office of the National Director of Public Prosecutions had applied under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act for an order allowing it to seize his assets.
While Sehunoe awaits his sentencing on March 28, the AFU will be conducting an inquiry into his asset base.
The case involving his co-accuse, Ramaphosa and Mfeleng, has been transferred to the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court. They have yet to plead.
They face similar charges in another case, with another physiotherapist, Jones Modau.
On Wednesday, Dr Tebogo Ephraim Kealetsa, 36, who had a private practice in the Northern Cape, appeared in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on two counts of fraud.
It is alleged that Kealetsa defrauded the compensation fund of about R680 000 by submitting false claims for patients he had been treated. He was arrested in August 2010 after the department processed two of his claims and discovered that they were false.
Kealetsa, who was released on bail of R5 000 before Wednesday’s appearance, has pleaded not guilty.
The court heard on Wednesday that he had left private practice and was now in public practice.
His lawyer, Samuel Molele, told the court that Kealetsa was out of funds and requested a postponement. The case returns to court on February 28.
The Department of Labour had established an anti-fraud unit to monitor all compensation payments and the processes followed, spokesman Page Boikanyo said.
“The employees of the fund often handle huge amounts of cash and it was during the handling process which the fraud was committed.”
The department had developed a “zero tolerance” approach to corruption. - Pretoria News