The police investigations regarding the alleged involvement of officials of the South African Revenue Service (Sars) in tax fraud committed on the Free State and Lesotho border posts have yielded another arrest. Ten suspects have thus far been nailed after fraud cost Sars more than R653 million in imported consignments.
The Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation detectives have pounced on the latest suspect, Mogorosi Benedict Motelesi (40), increasing to ten in total the number of suspects arrested regarding the border ghost exports tax. Nine were arrested during June in Limpopo, Gauteng, the Free State and the Eastern Cape. They are: Boitshoko Perseverance Mashodi (38), Elvin Wilson (40), Phakama Ndothayisa (36), Xatyiswa Zona (42), Selvin Derison (36), Motlalepule Tes Modise (38), Siphiwe Sedibeng (36), Lwazi Simelani (35) and Nomvakaliso Modolomba (33).
These suspects are out on bail ranging from R1 500 to R5 000, with conditions that include complying with court’s order that they reappear on dates given.
It has been confirmed that some of them no longer work for Sars, and those still employed were facing internal disciplinary action.
The arrests were a result of probing by multi-disciplinary law enforcement agencies: the Hawks and the Sars Anti-corruption Investigation unit. The agencies presented a watertight case before the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
WO Fikiswa Matoti, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said all ten suspects appeared in the Ladybrand Magistrates’ Court on Monday, adding that the case was in the process of being transferred to the Bloemfontein Regional Court for trial on 12 August.
“They are facing charges of fraud, money laundering, contravention of the Tax Administration Act, contravention of the Customs and Excise Act and contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act,” said Matoti.
Probing has revealed the suspects allegedly orchestrated the fraud at the border posts of Ficksburg Bridge, Maseru Bridge and Vanrooyenshek Bridge.
They allegedly facilitated 333 transactions, imported consignments or cargo (textile) in bond (removal in bond) from the Durban port of entry, to be exported from the Free State border post of Maseru Bridge.
