There suspects who are charged of R1.7m fraud case, have a Valentine's Day date at the Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Rustenburg. The Rustenburg Magistrates Court postponed the case against Sello Michael Makhubela,45, Obakeng Glen Mokgale, 39, and Orebotse James Tlale, 40, to February 14 next year.
Their case will be heard at the Specialised Commercial Crime Court. The three accused have made presentations with the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Rachel Makhari, with the outcome expected in the next court sitting. The trio are out on R30 000 bail each, and they were warned not to interfere with the state's witnesses during the police investigations.
The Magistrate warned them to avail themselves for the next court hearing. Mokgale and Tlale were arrested by the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation on July 19, and made their first court appearance on the same day, while Makhubela made his first court appearance on July 31, after handing himself over to the police. Mokgale and Tlale are former employees of the Rustenburg Local Municipality, who are charged with four counts of fraud.
Meanwhile, Makhubela, who is a service provider, together with his company, are also facing the same charges. These charges relate to a tender which was awarded by the Rustenburg Local Municipality, for high mast lights to be installed at the Kanana Phase 2 and Robega Phase 2, in Rustenburg. All procurement processes were duly followed for the tender to be awarded, investigations have revealed.
Investigations reveal that the tender was awarded to Makhubela’s company, which was not compliant, owing to the fraudulent documents that were submitted to be awarded the tender. The two municipal employees were notified of the non-compliance of Makhubela's company, but they continued to recommend that the company be awarded the tender, regardless.
Makhubela is said to have also submitted fraudulent invoices amounting to over R1.7 million for a services that were not rendered. The accused continued to sign the procurement documents, pretending to have seen the service that was rendered, for payment to be processed. The municipality has since instituted internal disciplinary processes against Mokgale and Tlale, which resulted in their dismissal.
Criminal charges were subsequently instituted against Mokgale and Tlale. The prosecution team told the court that Investigations into the fraud matter are completed and the State is ready to proceed with trial. Meanwhile, in a separate matter, Olga Leslina Ndlovu, 44, appeared in the Rustenburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday, charged with corruption.
The accused handed herself over to the Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation on Monday morning. Ndlovu is linked to fraud and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) case of over R1.9 million involving the-then Municipal Manager of Bojanala District Municipality, Patrick Pogisho Shikwane and Moses Malesa, the Director of Marole Nameng Trading.
According to the charge sheet, in December 2018, Shikwane allegedly appointed Marole Nameng Trading to supply Bojanala District Municipality with disaster relief materials. The charge sheet indicate that Shikwane authorised a payment of R1.9 million to Marole Nameng Trading without following proper supply chain processes.
Marole Nameng Trading allegedly received payment but never delivered the procured materials at the municipal offices. Further investigations revealed that Mahle Supply, a company owned by the former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Bojanala District Municipality, Olga Leslina Ndlovu, received R400 000 from Marole Nameng Trading during her tenure as CFO.
Ndlovu was granted R5 000 bail when she appeared in court, and her case was postponed to November 30 for further investigations. Shikwane and Malesa have since appeared in court, and were granted R10 000 and R5 000 bail, respectively.
The Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, together with the Provincial Head for Priority Crime Investigation, Major General Patrick Mbotho, expressed their satisfaction with the progress made on the case, particularly as the collaboration between their entities continue to root out corruption in the North West Province.
