A 26-year-old woman from the Free State is expected to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court next month after she allegedly pocketed money from a learning institution.
The provincial spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks), Warrant Officer Fikiswa Matoti said the suspect faces charges of fraud.
The suspect is alleged to have pocketed the fees from students for personal gain.
“It is alleged that during 2021, the suspect, who was an employee at Jeppe College in Bloemfontein took the money students paid as fees towards their studies and created a fraudulent tax invoice book which she used whenever she would receive payments from students.
“She would issue them with this fraudulent tax invoice each time, use the money for her personal reasons, and not deposit it into the college bank account as expected. Jeppe College suffered a loss of about R21,100,” Matoti said.
Jeppe College opened a criminal case against the suspect and the matter was subsequently referred to the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team based in Bloemfontein.
Matoti said the investigation into the fraud matter is still in progress.
The suspect is expected to appear in court on November 17.
Last week, three former members of the Moqhaka Local Municipality in the Free State appeared in the Kroonstad Magistrate’s Court.
A member of the executive council (MEC), a political advisor to the Matjhabeng Local Municipality, and a chief director were charged with allegations of fraud, corruption, money laundering, and contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003.
The group is alleged to have pocketed R150,000.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL