A suspect implicated in defrauding the North West Department of Employment and Labour of more than R2-million in an alleged UIF fraudulent claims, has appeared at the Mahikeng Magistrates’ Court in the North West. Thirty six-year-old Potlako Cornelius Christie is facing 104 counts of fraud and 101 counts of money laundering. Christie was arrested in Mahikeng on August 29 by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation.
He is the eighth person to be arrested in the matter. According to the Hawks, seven other accused were arrested in June, last year.
The North West Hawks Spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula elaborates: “Reports indicate that the eight accused, of which two are former employees of the department and six were recruiters, connived to claim funds from the department for fictitious employees. Between 2019 and 2020, two former employees of the department allegedly worked with six suspects who were tasked to recruit unemployed individuals in and around Mahikeng. Mathebula explains how the fraudulent claims were made.
“Some of the recruited individuals were allegedly informed that they were being assisted to lodge claims from the drought relief fund, while others were allegedly claiming money from UIF. Some others were told they would be employed at the South African Revenue Service and some would be hired on Nomalalemba and other projects. The claimants were allegedly each given R50 to open bank accounts. However, the bank cards were kept by the suspects. In addition, the claimants were allegedly made to complete UIF claim forms.
Source: eNCA
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