Picture: Nine accused persons appear in court/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
Nine people accused of fraud, corruption, money laundering, and contravening the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), briefly appeared at Kimberley Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. The Hawks spokesperson in Northern Cape, Lieutenant Col, Tebogo Thebe said the accused no 1, Dr Dion Garvy Theys (56) is the current Head of Department (HOD) of the Northern Cape Department of Health, who was the acting accounting officer during the commission of crime.
Thebe further said Theys was recently convicted on another matter of contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). He added that, the matter was also successfully investigated by the Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation team.
“Accused no 2, is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the department, Daniel Mosimanegape (54), followed by Victor Nyokong (41) who serves as Deputy Director of Finance, Montgomery Lifa (39), and Siyabolela Booi (38) both attached to Supply Chain Management section, Goitemodimo Piet Moseki (50) and Dibueng Manyetsa (63) both attached to Communicable Disease section as well as two Company Directors, Kanyaditswe Visser (44), Director of MKV Investment (juristic person) and Kelebogile Bogatso (58), Director of Stilofern (PTY) LTD.
“The Hawk’s Priority Crime Specialised Investigation previously secured a preservation order worth a combined value worth R5.3 million, which included a piece of land and a luxury vehicle (Bentley Continental GT), the order is related to the current investigation,” he said.
Thebe said the Northern Cape Department of Health suffered a loss of R16 906 667.50. in the process.
He said, in line with the government’s commitment to prosecute those who unduly benefitted from COVID-19-related crimes, particularly the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPEs), the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team served nine suspects and two companies (juristic person) with J50 warrants of arrest on 23 August 2023.
The Provincial Head of Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Major General Stephen Mabuela said: “COVID-19 related crimes gave South Africa a bad name domestically and internationally.
“The government has made a commitment to prosecute those involved and our role as the Hawks is to properly investigate the allegations and bring matters to court. We remain undeterred.”
The Guardian 