Staff Reporter
Three former employees of the Free State Department of Human Settlements and their accomplices have appeared in the Bloemfontein Regional Court facing charges of fraud, corruption and theft involving R7.9 million.
Ketlhwoecoeng Mildred Setlaba, 45, Motebang Frank Mokoena, 45, Sarah Bantikile Saila, 63, Muso David Makae, 62, Meshack Modise Tlokotsi, 54, and Thato Goodwill Sempe, 50, made their first court appearance on Thursday after they were arrested by the Hawks earlier the same day.
The Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation in Bloemfontein was assisted by the Serious Economic Offences Unit in Pretoria to effect the arrests.
It is alleged that during the period between 2011 and 2012, three former officials from the Department of Human Settlements attached to the Payment Authorisation Section engaged in unauthorised and irregular negotiations with some service providers.
This, according to the Hawks provincial spokesperson Captain Christopher Singo, was outside their delegation.
He said the accused did this in order to initiate irregular or corrupt activities.
“They used the Housing Subsidy System to identify old projects of the financial years from 2008 to 2009 which still had remaining allocated budgets,” said Singo in a statement.
“They solicited and received gratification in the form of cash amount from the service providers in exchange for the facilitation of falsified and undue claim payments which were processed through financial processes of the department,” he added.
It is further alleged that three of the officials received over R520 000 from various service providers.
As a result of these false claims, the Department of Human Settlements suffered a total loss of approximately R7.9 million.
The case was postponed to September 3 and all the accused were released on R5 000 bail each.