Employees, company directors and pensioners nabbed for R8m Department of Health fraud

Thirteen people have been arrested for allegedly defrauding the Department of Health in the Free State of R8 million.

Thirteen people have been arrested for allegedly defrauding the Department of Health in the Free State of R8 million.

Published Aug 3, 2021

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Johannesburg - THIRTEEN people have been arrested for allegedly defrauding the Department of Health in the Free State of R8 million.

Spokesperson for the Hawks in the province Captain Christopher Singo said seven of them were employees at the department of health.

“From the information that we got during the bail application, some are now on pension and some have been suspended but that could not be confirmed by the department,” he said.

After the Hawks arrested them, they appeared at the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on Monday on charges of fraud, forgery, uttering, money laundering and corruption.

Their suspected corrupt dealings allegedly came to the fore during the regulatory audit in the Department of Health.

Singo said the auditor-general’s team had requested information on certain payments to service providers and subsequently queried the procurement processes that were followed.

“As a result, an internal investigation followed whereby it was discovered that false or forged ’requests for payment advices’ were submitted during the period of January 2011 until December 2015 for payments with regard to the service providers.

“It is further alleged that no evidence could be found whether the actual services were rendered by the service providers.

“A total amount of more than R8m was paid to the service providers. As a result, the Department of Health was prejudiced and suffered a total loss of more than R8m.

“The matter was then reported to the police and the case was handed over to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation in Bloemfontein for further investigation which led to the arrest of the accused.”

Singo said the accused who still worked for the department were Motsumi Krisjan Polori, 46 and Sarah Kenosi Legobate, 44.

Five of the accused are company directors John Tsietsi Polori, 50, Thabo Moeti, 39, Mavuso Victor Kwababa, 49, Simon Njonga, 40, Lebohang Beqezi, 37 and Mmalefa Charity Moloi, 39.

The others are David Motau, 54, Mietje Johns, 61, Limakatso Catharine Mabitle, 62, Hillary Colleen Kala, 56, and John Motsemme Chakane, 65.

Singo said the company directors were operating as service providers and their companies allegedly received the money that the department had been defrauded of.

The case has since been postponed until September 22.

“Motau and Motsumi Krisjan Polori as well as John Tsietsi Polori were released on R5 000 bail each whilst the other accused where released on a R2 000 bail each,” he said.

The Star

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