LIMPOPO: A 53-year-old senior official from Molemole Local Municipality has been arrested by members of the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit for alleged theft in Polokwane today.
The Hawks received a tip-off in 2018 about theft of money at Makgatho Community Property Association by some of the committee members. The investigation revealed that between 2015 and 2018, the suspect was mentoring a community association and allegedly connived with other committee members of the association to award a farming tender to a company linked to his wife without following due processes. It was further revealed that the company never rendered any service to the community despite having received over R4.8 million from the association.
The suspect will appear in the Polokwane Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 5 October 2020 to face theft charges. In the meantime, the Hawks are pursuing other suspects that are linked to the case.
The Acting Provincial Head, Brigadier Thabo Ramela has welcomed the arrest and issued a stern warning to all government officials that theft of public money will not be tolerated by the Hawks. “No stone will be left unturned against those who continue to abuse their powers by stealing from the poorest of the poor. We will investigate without fear or favour and bring those who are implicated to book” Brigadier Ramela added.
