In a significant breakthrough, Hawks members from the Pietermaritzburg Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit apprehended two suspects, aged 31 and 43, for their alleged involvement in a fraud and money laundering scheme at the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development offices in Pietermaritzburg.
The arrests stem from fraudulent payments made on April 6, 2023, from the Department of Justice banking system to unauthorized businesses. An astonishing amount of R17,782,132.59 was illegally transferred from the Guardian Fund held by the Department.
Following a report of fraud at the Pietermaritzburg police station, the case was handed over to the Hawks for thorough investigation. Collaborating with the National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit and the Financial Intelligence Centre, Hawks members successfully recovered over R8 million of the stolen funds.
The arrested suspects are scheduled to appear in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate Court on February 20, 2024. Additionally, further arrests are anticipated as the investigation progresses.
Major General (Dr) Lesetja Senona, the KwaZulu-Natal Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Provincial Head, commended the arrest of the suspects and praised the efforts of the investigative team.
