Dodgy leave and guest house stays: Trio accused of defrauding SANDF

Air Force personnel stand accused of fraud amounting to over R1.1m, the SA Defence Force (SANDF) said on Friday.

Three soldiers stationed at Air Force headquarters appeared before a military judge in Thaba Tshwane on March 5 on charges relating to defrauding the state and submitting fraudulent invoices, the SANDF said in a statement.

A colonel and warrant officer class 2 were nabbed on March 1 following an investigation by the military police and defence intelligence officials, while another member – a flight sergeant - was arrested on March 4.

The three accused face charges of defrauding the state on what is referred to by the SANDF as "discounting leave" to the value of R1.1m, as well as subsistence and travel allowance fraud using forged signatures and submission of fraudulent accommodation invoices relating to guest house stays.

They were informed of their charges before being released on leave pending the finalisation of their suspension, said the SANDF. They are prohibited from  being at their workplace to prevent interference with the investigations.

They have not pleaded and will appear in court again on a date to be determined by prosecutors.

The chief of the SANDF, Gen Solly Shoke, commended military law enforcement officials and rebuked members of the SANDF who put the organisation's name into disrepute.

He issued "a stern warning to all soldiers and Public Service Act Personnel that the SANDF was not a place for thieves and thugs" and said action would be taken against those caught engaging in acts of criminality.