Staff Reporter
A 38-year-old woman appeared before the Ficksburg Magistrates Court on Friday facing charges of fraud and uttering after falsifying her matric results when applying for a job in the South African Police Service.
Mathabo Margaret Van Heerden made her first appearance after being arrested earlier in the day by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation unit based in Bloemfontein.
The Hawks provincial spokesperson Captain Christopher Singo said in a statement the arrest stems from an incident which took place on September 25, 2020 when Van Heerden submitted a fraudulent matric certificate for a constable position.
“The matter was then reported to the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation for further investigation which culminated in the arrest of Van Heerden,” said Singo.
The case was postponed to Monday and the accused was released on warning.
Meanwhile, a former financial manager at an engineering company in the northern Free State is facing charges of theft and money laundering involving over R2.5 million.
Mareli Vogel, 55, appeared before the Sasolburg Magistrates Court on Friday after she was arrested in the early hours of the morning by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team based in Welkom.
It is alleged that during the period of September 2014 until January 2020, Vogel made internet transfers from the GP Control Valves and Engineering bank account to Hermit Property Investments bank account and then transferred the money into her own personal bank account.
As a result, the company suffered a total loss of more than R2.5 million.
The matter was then reported to the Hawks leading to the arrest of Vogel.
She is expected back in court on September 27 after she was released on R10 000 bail.