CAPE TOWN - An Eastern Cape woman appeared in court after she allegedly defrauded the Road Accident Fund (RAF).
Spokesperson for the provincial Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) Captain Yolisa Mgolodela said Nyameka Katshwa, 48, was arrested on Tuesday by the Serious Commercial Crime investigation unit in East London.
She said it is alleged that on July 14, 2007, Katshwa made a fraudulent claim against the RAF after her husband died in a motor vehicle accident.
“She made the claims on behalf of her stepchildren (the deceased's minor children) who were not under her guardianship as they were staying with other relatives,” Mgolodela said.
She said the claim for the funds were successful and Katshwa was paid R514,000 by the RAF.
Investigation into the matter found that Katshwa never used the money for her stepchildren’s needs, but rather for her own use.
According to Mgolodela, Katshwa has been released on warning by the court and the matter against her has been postponed until April 13, 2021.
In an unrelated incident, a 22-year-old Eastern Cape man appeared in the New Brighton Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on charges of attempted murder, armed robbery and hijacking.
The suspect was arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime unit from Port Elizabeth after two New Brighton police officers were shot at and their official police vehicle was hijacked in Kwazakhele in February. One officer sustained a gunshot wound to the head.
She said Sergeant Wongile Ntengo, 40, and Sergeant Sonwabile Litole, 31, were conducting routine patrols when they were ambushed by four armed suspects while talking to a civilian in the street.
Mgolodela said investigations were under way to trace the suspect’s accomplices.
ANA