Three arrested as food meant for the poor lost to fraud
Image: 123RF/BELCHONOK
The Johannesburg Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation team has arrested three people for allegedly defrauding more than R5m worth of foodstuffs from the World Food Programme (WFP).
The food had been donated by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to the WFP for humanitarian relief.
The supplies, including tonnes of refined vegetable oil and yellow split peas, were meant for a relief operation in Malawi.
Capt Lloyd Ramovha from the Hawks said the SA Revenue Service (Sars) registered a criminal case of fraud in contravention of the Value-Added Tax Act and the Customs and Excise Act in June 2017.
“The Hawks were entrusted with the investigation, which has now shed light on the fact that the goods were initially stored in a bonded warehouse in Durban. The suspects’ company was tasked to transport the piles but this never took place,” he said.
“It has since emerged the goods never left SA but were instead sold for self-gain from within the country — to the detriment of the needy.”
The three suspects are expected to appear in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on June 8.
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