Five accused people were denied bail when they appeared on Wednesday before the Groblersdal Magistrate's Court in Limpopo.
Provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the five people were arrested on Tuesday, on charges of fraud and money laundering.
Ledwaba identified the five accused people as Peter Mdluli, 39; Vicky Mantea Makanyane, 42; Kgaogelo Chantelle Letsoalo, 37; Elizabeth Tshidi Kubuzie, 51 and Molefi Kubuzie (26).
“Their bail applications were denied and they were all remanded in custody until May 30 2025,” said Ledwaba.
Police reports indicate that in 2022, a former board member of the Sekhukhune Development Agency opened an inquiry for investigation of ghost payments on services that were never rendered.
After that, one of the members of the Sekhukhune Development Agency informed the board that he had found a court order placed underneath an office door.
“A preliminary investigation revealed that all the documentation, including the court order, were fraudulent. The stamp that was used on the court order was reported missing,” said Ledwaba.
A case was opened at Motetema police station and transferred to Groblersdal police station for further investigation.
“The investigation was activated, which resulted in the arrest of five suspects. The suspects made their first court appearance on Tuesday, March 25 2025, and the case was postponed to Wednesday 26 March, for formal bail application,” said Ledwaba.
“On Wednesday, March 26, the bail application was denied, and they were all remanded in custody until May 30 2025.”
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has welcomed the arrests.
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On Wednesday, responding to a query by IOL, provincial spokesperson of the NPA in Limpopo, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said the accused in the matter include companies.
“All the accused are facing the following charges: fraud alternatively theft, money laundering, assisting another to benefit from proceeds of unlawful activities and acquisition, possession or use of proceeds of unlawful activities,” she Malabi-Dzhangi.
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