Pretoria – Four people have been granted bail by the Nelspruit Commercial Crime Court after they were arrested for allegedly defrauding the South African Revenue Service (SARS) of around R1.8 million.
Mpumalanga spokesperson for the Hawks, Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi, said Frank Mbosanje Kalogwile, aged 29, Clifford Phil Kalogwile, aged 36, Emmanuel Xolani Ngwenya, aged 39, and Phindile Charmaine Kalogwile, aged 39, allegedly submitted fraudulent documents to Sars before they were paid.
Sekgotodi said the four were released on R5 000 bail each following their arrest by the Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation unit based in Nelspruit.
“It is alleged that in July 2018, the accused submitted fraudulent documents to Sars on behalf of their two companies, namely Maestro Arts cc and Priscino Trading Enterprise Pty Ltd, involving an estimated R1.8 million,” said Sekgotodi.
“The matter was reported to the Hawks for investigation, and the accused were linked to the case and charged with contravention of Tax Administration Act, Value Added Tax Act, Prevention of Organised Crime Act and money laundering.”
The case was postponed to 6 August for further investigation.
Earlier this month, a former Sars official, Khutso Meloreng Hlongwane, aged 44, was scheduled to appear before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, facing charges of fraud amounting to R5 million.
At the time, National Prosecution Authority (NPA) Gauteng regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said Hlongwane made representations to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) to have the charges against her withdrawn, and she failed.
“Hlongwane faces 52 counts of fraud, worth over R5 million for defrauding Sars from July 2007 until September 2015,” Mahanjana said.
“The State is ready to set the matter down for plea and trial.”
IOL