Johannesburg - A Zimbabwean national accused of running a bogus FET college in Tzaneen, Limpopo, has been arrested for fraud, police said on Saturday.
The 26-year-old man faces charges of fraud involving more than R1.1 million, identity fraud for using a South African identity document fraudulently and contravening the immigration act, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said.
The man was arrested on Friday in Mpumalanga after more than a year on the run, Mulaudzi said.
“The suspect who had since vanished for more than a year was accused of running St Ignatious FET College in Tzaneen (without) proper documents.
“During his arrest he was allegedly found with a substantial amount of money and police also confiscated his vehicle.”
Investigations into the man began when registered students at the college went to the department of higher education to check whether the school was registered with the department.
“After the matter was referred to the Hawks for investigation, it was revealed that the college was not registered with the department of higher education.
“The accreditation certificates from both department of higher education and Umalusi, which the college was using, were found to be bogus,” Mulaudzi said.
The college manager and a lecturer were also arrested but later released after it was found that they were not connected to the running of the college.
The man would appear in the Tzaneen Magistrate Court on Monday. - Sapa