Cape Town - A Gqeberha couple have been arrested by the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team of the Hawks on allegations of fraud and money laundering.
Hawks spokesperson Yolisa Mgolodela said the couple, aged 35 and 36, were summoned and will appear in court on Monday.
“It is alleged that during the period between March 2013 and February 2021, the suspect, an administrative clerk and learner support officer at the Coega Development Corporation, used the details of the learners that had already exited the training programmes and substituted their bank details with his on the payroll system to the wage bureaus which the service provider used to process the learner stipends.
“The stipends are further alleged to have been paid into various bank accounts which are reported to have been in the name of the suspect.
“In 2021 the corporation, after discovering some inconsistencies, reported the matter to the Hawks to conduct an investigation. The investigation revealed that the suspect also paid the funds into his wife’s bank account.
“Coega was prejudiced by cash to the value of more than R6.6 million,” said Mgolodela.
The suspects are reported to have sold their property in Gqeberha and moved to Mthatha, where they were traced and summoned by the Hawks on May 26.
Mgolodela further said: “The Gqeberha Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team of the Hawks is lauded by the provincial head, Major-General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, for the sterling job.”
Cape Times