Four employees of the Tseseng Post Office in the Free State appeared in court on charges of fraud, money laundering, and the contravention of cybercrime and electronic communication transaction laws.
Matshediso Merriam Mokoena, Ntswaki Chrestinah Sefako, Mabuti Johannes Mbongo, and Sabi Letta Mokwena were arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks.
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According to Warrant Officer Fikiswa Matoti, the Post Office suffered a loss of over R8.7 million. The accused, who were responsible for assisting Sassa beneficiaries in obtaining their grants, allegedly inflated the amounts accounted for as entries on the system. They then misappropriated the funds by transferring them into their own bank accounts and those of their associates.
The matter has been referred to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit for further investigation.
The investigations revealed that Mokoena’s bank account received approximately R324,950, Sefako’s bank account received R887,010, Mbongo’s bank account received R7,527,107, and Mokwena’s bank account received R1,700. As a result, the Tseseng Post Office suffered a total loss of over R8.7 million.
The accused made their first appearance in court on Thursday, and the matter was rolled over for a bail application on Friday, January 19.
Mokoena, Sefako, and Mbongo were each granted bail in the amount of R10,000, while Mokwena was granted bail of R5,000. The case has been postponed until January 22.
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This case highlights the importance of maintaining integrity and trust in public institutions, and the need for stringent measures to prevent and detect fraudulent activities.
The investigation serves as a reminder that those who engage in such acts will be held accountable for their actions.
