The Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation Unit has managed to secure racketeering certificates for six police officials and a finance clerk in a case of theft, fraud, corruption and money laundering in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s court on Thursday, 01 August 2019.
Former Constables, Klaas Itumeleng Sereco (40), Moratoe Piet Motsoeneng (31), Makale Isaac Madumise (39), Patrick Sedio (37), Lieutenant Colonels, Litaba Joseph Dodo (50), Tlero Jacob Mokghethi (51), and Financial Clerk Mpho Godfrey Selesho (33), were arrested on the 31 January 2017 and subsequently made their first court appearance on the 01 February 2017, where they were granted R5000 bail each.
It is alleged that during the period from the 19 April 2016 to the 7 September 2016, the six police officers from different units colluded with the financial administration clerk to submit fictitious claims for pay-outs in the provincial standing advance office. These payments were deposited into the bank accounts of the police officials. Once the payments were made, the police officials then had to deposit half of the fictitious claim back to the bank account of the finance clerk.
In other instances only the fictitious claims would be created and be paid without the advance being captured. The South African Police Service (SAPS), was defrauded of approximately R5.3 million from 193 counts of fraud by the group’s alleged unlawful activities. All seven have been dismissed from the service following an internal disciplinary procedure. Trial dates have been set for the 12 to 14 August 2019 in the Bloemfontein High Court.