Man arrested after intricate plan to defraud R800,000 from Free State municipality backfires
A 32-year-old man, Morwamakgale Abram Maheso, was arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, for alleged fraud amounting to R800,000.
Gauteng Hawks spokesperson, Captain Lloyd Ramovha said the fraud case against Maheso was registered at Norwood police station in August 2020.
“Maheso is said to have approached Liberty Group and Stanlib, on April 16, 2020. He applied for a business investment policy with Liberty, providing an Absa bank account in order for R800,000 to be debited as an initiation to fund his Liberty business investment policy,” said Ramovha.
However, during the verification process, it was discovered that the Absa bank account did not belong to Maheso.
The Absa bank account belonged to the Ngwathe Local Municipality situated in the northern part of Fezile Dabi District Municipality in Free State.
Maheso was arrested on Wednesday.
He consequently appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, in Ekurhuleni, on the same day.
“The Hawks' investigation has revealed that Mr Maheso had fraudulently provided a bank account belonging to Ngwathe local Municipality in the northern part of Free State, under the pretext that it was his own, with the intent to defraud the municipality by using Liberty to debit the funds so he can later claim them from Liberty,” said Ramovha.
The court has remanded Maheso behind bars, and postponed the matter to October 22 for legal aid to be provided.
In another case, IOL reported on Thursday that disbarred attorney Michael Senotse Mabunda, 42, has appeared in court after he was served with summons in connection with a fraud case registered at the Pretoria North police station.
The case against Mabunda was registered in August 2019.
Ramovha said the matter was investigated by the Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation unit.
“It was reported that Mr Mabunda, who was an attorney, lodged claims with the Road Accident Fund on behalf of his clients,” said Ramovha.
“The Road Accident Fund paid an amount of R10,562,173 into his trust account. However, Mr Mabunda allegedly never transferred these funds to his clients, resulting in significant financial losses.”
IOL