The case against two ex-employees for allegedly defrauding the DoL’s Compensation Fund postponed

The case against two former employees of the Department of Labour’s (DoL) Compensation Fund (CF) alleged to have defrauded the State was today (February 22) postponed to March in the Pretoria Magistrates Court.

The accused are Maxwell Ramaphosa (36) and Samuel Elliot Mfeleng (36). Their appearance follows the transfer of their matter from the Pretoria Commercial Crime Court following a guilty plea by their fellow co-accused, Jurry Sehunoe, a physiotherapist operating from Rustenburg in North West.

Sehunoe had earlier broken ranks and pleaded guilty in the matter at the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court for defrauding the Department of Labour of about R5 million. He is due to be sentenced next month. 

The trial of the three accused was initially held at the Pretoria Specialised Crime Court where Sehunoe was found guilty. However, in a separation of trial Ramaphosa and Mfeleng’s case was transferred to the Pretoria Magistrate Court.

Ramaphosa and Mfeleng are out on an extended bail of R3000. They face 15 counts of fraud and 26 counts of money laundering.

Prosecutor Margaret Thulare told the Court that the State was ready to proceed with the matter.

Ramaphosa and Mfeleng are also appearing in two other alleged fraud cases. In one case they are part of a group of seven former employees including a Doctor accused of defrauding the DoL’s CF about R1-million. 

In the other case they are part of a group of three former employees of the DoL and a physiotherapist accused of allegedly defrauding the Department about half-a-million rand. In both these cases the accused are out on a warning.

Legal representatives of the accused today requested the Court to consider the other matters of the accused and look into the possibility of consolidating all the cases and be concluded as one.

Ramaphosa and Mfeleng are accused of processing and approving claims made by Sehunoe for services not rendered. They are alleged to have, between February 2009 and November 2009, made 15 deposits into the account of Sehunoe. 

The Compensation Fund is a public entity under the Department of Labour responsible for cover of workers injured during work or who sustain diseases during the course of occupation.