After two years on the run, the long arm of the law caught up with an information technology (IT) specialist when he was arrested this morning (August 29) at his place of work, for defrauding the Department of Labour’s (DoL) Compensation Fund (CF) more than a million rand.
Kenneth Mahuluhulu from Proclamation Hill, West of Pretoria contracted to work at the University of South Africa (Unisa) was today caught off-guard when members of the SAPS Commercial Crime Division accompanied by officials from the DoL’s CF Risk Management Unit nabbed him. He was taken to the Sunnyside Police Station to sign a statement and for finger printing. He was later whisked away to the Pretoria Commercial Crime Court to face the music.
Mahuluhulu has been evading justice since 2010. He faces charges of defrauding the Department of Labour’s Compensation Fund R1,2 million. He is alleged to have made/facilitated more than five fictitious claims to the DoL’s CF, working in collaboration with a syndicate involving a former employee of DoL’s Compensation Fund.
The accused was denied bail and is expected to appear again in court on Friday (August 31). The aforesaid criminal activities of Mahuluhulu are alleged to have been committed between 2006/9.
Prosecutor Advocate Noah Motaung said several attempts have been made to locate Mahuluhulu, for the past two years with two warrant of arrest being served in the process, to no avail. Motaung said the State needed to deny the accused bail so as to verify his residency and investigate whether the alleged fraud accused had previous criminal charges or conviction.
Magistrate N. Setshogoe told the Court that in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act the accused would be remanded in custody while an investigation is being carried out on the efficacy of his residence and criminal record status.
Mahuluhulu joins a myriad of disgraced members of syndicates and former employees who have been arrested and charged in recent years, some of whom are currently involved in various trials.
The Compensation Fund is a public entity under the administration of the Department of Labour. The Fund acts as an insurance for workers injured at work.
Page Boikanyo
Cell: 082 809 3195
Twana Makubela
Cell: 078 178 0074
'Fugitive' information technology (IT) specialist sought for defrauding Department of Labour’s Compensation Fund arrested
