Four former workers of the Tsheseng Post Office in Qwaqwa linked to the alleged fraud of more than R8 million of the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa), are set to appear in the Bethlehem Specialised Commercial Crime Court today, 22 January. They are Matshediso Merriam Mokoena (35), Ntswaki Chrestinah Sefako (38), Mabuti Johannes Mbongo (45), and Sabi Letta Mokwena (58).
They briefly appeared in the Tsheseng Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 19 January, to apply for bail. Sefako, Mokoena, and Mbongo were each granted a bail of R10 000, and Mokwena was released on bail set at R5 000. They are facing charges of fraud, money laundering, and contravention of the Cyber Crime Act and Electronic Communication Transaction (ECT) Act.
Preliminary findings revealed they allegedly used a church’s account at the post office to siphon more than R8 million from a Sassa account.
WO Fikiswa Matoti, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said at the time of committing the alleged crime between 2020 and 2022, the accused were responsible for performing transactions to assist Sassa beneficiaries to obtain their grants.
“They were issued with unique numbers which are not transferable. They allegedly inflated the amounts accounted for as entries on the system, resulting in misappropriating the entity funds as valid amounts claimed to have been paid to the valid beneficiaries. The investigation revealed the funds were instead transferred into the bank accounts of the accused and their associates,” said Matoti.
Matshediso Merriam Mokoena
She said according to the investigation, the following amounts were transferred to the individuals accounts: An amount of about R324 950.00 was transferred to Mokoena’s bank account; R887 010.00 was transferred to Sefako’s bank account; R7 527 107.00 was transferred to Mbongo’s bank account; and R1 700.00 was transferred to Mokwena’s bank account. “The Tsheseng Post Office was prejudiced and suffered a total loss of over R8.7 million in the process,” said Matoti.
Mabuti Johannes Mbongo
Their arrests come after the Free State High Court successfully granted an order to forfeit four vehicles plus money in various bank accounts of the suspects last year in July. The application was brought by the Hawks, the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). The vehicles include two Toyota Avanzas, a Citi Golf, and a bakkie.
