The five men arrested for defrauding the South African Police Service (SAPS) of nearly R50,000 in the Free State have been granted bail in the Reitz Magistrate’s Court.
Police officer, Matthews Seakelo William, 53; and petrol attendants, Vusimuzi Moses, 55; Tshabalala Jack, 68; Twala Matsebetse Geelbooi, 51; and Mthimkhulu Joseph Gulumisi, 47, were arrested in Lindley on April 2, by members of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s (known as the Hawks) Serious Corruption Investigated team based in Bethlehem.
During their first appearance on April 4, the group brought forth a bail application.
The court granted the men R1,500 bail each.
The group was charged with fraud, theft, and defeating the ends of justice.
The provincial Hawks spokesperson, Captain Christopher Singo said the station commander at the Lindley police station was suspicious because of overspending on fuel in 2022.
“The matter was then reported to the Hawks in Bethlehem for further investigation. The investigation uncovered that a 53-year-old Warrant Officer allegedly used different state petrol cards by misrepresenting as if he poured petrol into the state vehicles whereas the vehicles were not at the fuel station but parked at Lindley SAPS,” Singo said.
“It was further discovered that the Warrant Officer was conducting these fraudulent activities assisted by petrol attendants. The incident took place during the period between January 2022 and August 2022,” he said.
“As a result of the fraudulent activities, the South African Police Service (SAPS) suffered a total loss of R46,911.”
The matter has been postponed until April 22.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
IOL