Three former civil servants are to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court tomorrow (on 12 April) on alleged charges of defrauding the Department of Labour’s (DoL) Compensation Fund (CF).
The case against Maxwell Ramaphosa, Samuel Mfeleng, and Kgabo Methi previously employed by the DoL’s Compensation Fund was transferred in a separation of trial to the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court. This after their fellow accused and fraudster Dr Jones Mothemola Modau on March 19 pleaded guilty in the Pretoria Specialised Crime Court to defrauding DoL’s Compensation Fund.
Sentencing proceedings for Modau is set for July 2.
Ramaphosa, Mfeleng and Methi acting in furtherance of common purpose are allegedly accused of recruiting medical practitioner (Modau) to submit his practice number for fraudulent payments to be made into his account from the CF.
The trio are accused of creating fictitious users on the system and/or completed and approved these fraudulent claims. The accused are alleged to have also inflated the said claims above the normal applicable rates. It is alleged Ramaphosa, Mfeleng and Methi facilitated the transfer of R476 150,58 into the four different banking accounts of Modau.
Modau is alleged to have not rendered any service to any patient.
The accused face three counts of fraud and four counts of money laundering. The quartet is out on a warning.
Ramaphosa and Mfeleng are also enmeshed in other two 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 accused of defrauding DoL’s Compensation Fund about R2,1 million. In this case their fellow accused Jurry Sehunoe, a fraud physiotherapist operating from Rustenburg in the North West pleaded guilty and he is yet to be sentenced.
The Compensation Fund is a public entity of the Department of Labour. The Fund covers workers injured or disabled at work or for diseases sustained from the hazardous work environment.
Three former public servants to appear after co-accused pleads guilty to defrauding DoL’s Compensation Fund
