The Hawks have arrested suspects in the Maluti-A-Phofung Municipality in the Free State for ransacking and defrauding the municipality R58-million in the fraudulent activities.
Two suspects between the ages of 29 and 55 are expected to appear before the Phuthaditjhaba Magistrates Court this morning, where they will be facing charges of fraud, corruption, uttering, forgery and contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act. .
According to Free State Hawks spokesperson captain Christopher Singo, the duo were arrested yesterday, July 31, after they handed themselves to the Hawks.
“The matter was reported to the Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation team based in Bethlehem for further investigation, which culminated to the duo handing themselves over to the investigating officers yesterday afternoon,” said Singo.
Singo says in 2020, the municipal manager of Maluti A Phofung local municipality authorised a service provider for security services without a tender being advertised.
It is further reported that the chief financial officer wrote several letters to the municipal manager advising him to advertise the tender for the security but he failed to do so.
“An estimated amount of R58 million was paid to the service provider irregularly for a period of two years,” Singo said.
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