Johannesburg - A former Hawks’ security officer, Phelisa Lande, 45, who submitted a fake matric certificate for employment at the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Bellville, has been fined R5 000.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Zinzi Hani said this was after the Bellville Magistrate’s Court found Lande, who is no longer employed by the Directorate, guilty on two counts of fraud after he pleaded guilty.
Hani said a warrant of arrest was issued for the accused on August 8, 2022, by the Hawks' Serious Commercial Investigation team in Bellville for falsifying her qualifications.
Lande made her first appearance in the Bellville Magistrate's Court on August 10, 2022, on a charge of fraud and was released on R1 000 bail.
"In October 2021, a post was advertised for a security official in the Hawks offices in Bellville. When she applied for the position, the accused allegedly submitted a fraudulent matriculation certificate, which was one of the requirements for the post."
"As a result, the accused was appointed as a security official in the Bellville, Western Cape, office, where she occupied the post," said Hani.
Upon noticing the suspicious certificate, the Hawks’ vetted the qualifications with the Department of Education to verify the authenticity of the certificate, Hani said.
"During this process, the allegation of fraud was discovered. Further investigation revealed that the accused submitted the same qualification for her previous employment, where she was employed as a security officer," added Hani.
According to Hani, Lande pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud and was sentenced to R5 000, or 5 months’ direct imprisonment wholly suspended for 5 years.
The State withdrew two charges of contravening the provisions of Section 20 of the Security Industry Regulations Act 56 of 2001.
The Star