Cops in court for submitting ‘inexact slips for travel costs’

Seven SAPS officers have found themselves on the wrong side of the law after they were nabbed by the Hawks for allegedly committing fraudulent activities amounting to R50 000.

This emerged on Wednesday after an “intelligence-driven operation by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team yielded positive results when seven SAPS detectives stationed at Rabie Ridge and Benoni police stations were arrested for fraud”.

Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu told TMG Digital that the officers’ acts of fraud included claiming for incorrect itinerary costs.

Ndivhuwo said that the officers acted in bad faith as they submitted inexact slips for their travel costs. "An investigation was conducted and we found out that they had booked at a cheaper place instead of the one written on their quotations‚ because we usually give them an advance [payment] when travelling for more than one day to another province‚” he explained.

• READ MORE: Hawks arrest seven detectives for travel claim fraudThe Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation team on Tuesday arrested seven police detectives stationed in Rabie Ridge and Benoni for fraud. 

She added: “It is alleged that suspects submitted fraudulent travelling claims trips to KwaZulu-Natal‚ Limpopo‚ and Mpumalanga between March 2014 and March 2015. The state suffered a loss of an estimated R50 000 due to fraudulent claims processed.”

According to Ndivhuwo‚ the suspects who have between 11 and 35 years of service‚ appeared briefly in the Kempton Park Magistrates Court on Tuesday on charges of fraud and defeating the ends of justice. They were all released on a warning with the condition that they must not interfere with state witnesses.

The case against the seven was postponed to March 13 for further investigation.

The officers are: Warrant Officer Ali Mohlala‚ 55‚ Sergeant Johanna Msiza‚ 41‚ Sergeant Boycot Zembe‚ 37‚ Sergeant Gilbert Mohambi‚ 36‚ Sergeant Nare Lephalale‚ 37‚ Sergeant Marcus Malebe‚ 37‚ and Sergeant Moteku Tlolane‚ 40.

• Hawks ‘hot on the heels’ of cop who dodged arrest for fraudThe Hawks on Wednesday boasted that an “intelligence-driven operation” by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation had resulted in the arrested of seven SAPS detectives stationed at Rabie Ridge and Benoni police stations for fraud. 

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s provincial Head‚ Major-General Prince Mokotedi condemned the criminal activities by the officers‚ stating that it was appalling.

“We are serious about uprooting corruption and all forms of criminality within our ranks as we are equally determined to strengthen integrity in the service‚ Mokotedi said.

An eighth suspect fled the scene in his private vehicle after noticing the Hawks’ vehicles approaching Tembisa South police station. They are hunting him down.

– TMG Digital