Money received by Mandisa Mokwena from State Security was due to her‚ court told

There was nothing untoward about Mandisa Mokwena‚ former head of SARS’ risk management division who is facing various charges‚ receiving payments from the State Security Agency.

This was money simply due to her‚ Mokwena's lawyer Stephen Joseph SC told the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Monday.

Joseph said Mokwena was still in the books of the security agency as a spy when employed at SARS. Before joining the revenue service‚ Mokwena was employed by the spooks’ agency.

• Tax official who helped people get refunds - for a cut - now bust by HawksA 42-year-old former South African Revenue Service employee has been arrested by the Serious Commercial Crime Unit of the Hawks‚ for allegedly defrauding his former employer of almost half a million rand. 

The state highlighted payments from the spooks to prove Mokwena was capable of receiving money she did not work for.

“What crime is that if the state agency employs you and pays you?” Joseph asked.

“The only crime [Mokwena] committed is that she worked. She went about her work diligently‚ that's her crime.”

Mokwena‚ the wife of former Lonmin human resources boss Barnard Mokwena‚ is on trial along with five others. These are former Unisa professor Oludele Akinbode and his wife‚ Nancy Akinbode‚ former professor at University of Venda (Univen) Agyapong Gyekye‚ businesswoman Boitumelo Boshego and former cost centre manager at SARS Leslie Moonsamy.

• Running your life and businessBeing a business owner can involve a lot of sacrifices. It also means managing overhead costs and cash flow, and preserving relationships with suppliers by ensuring payments are made on time. 

The state brought 58 charges of racketeering‚ corruption‚ money laundering and fraud involving over R11 million against them in 2012.

Mokwena is number one accused in the case. The state alleges she received bribes totalling close to R1 million to ensure her academic acquaintances were contracted to provide research and training at SARS.

TMG Digital/SowetanLIVE