Two convicted defrauders of the Free State’s Department of Human Settlements left no trail of the millions they had swindled from the coffers of the department in question.
Capt. Christopher Singo, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, has confirmed that no money was recovered from the accused Ketloetseng Mildred Setlaba (48) and Twala Caroline Letanta-Tshabalala (58), including the service providers that conspired to siphon over R7,9 million from the coffers of the department.
He confirmed no other assets were attached to repay the department’s losses.
Both Setlaba and Tshabalala received suspended sentences after pleading guilty to charges of defrauding their former employer during their term of employment.
The Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court sentenced the two women for fraud and corruption on 18 March.
Singo said the court sentenced Tshabalala and Setlaba to eight years’ and five years’ imprisonment, respectively, with strict conditions. The sentences were suspended for five and three years, respectively.
The sentencing of the pair is the culmination of investigations by the Bloemfontein Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team and the Serious Economic Offences unit in Pretoria. The law enforcement agencies uncovered the accused’s financial conspiracy of siphoning millions from the coffers of the department.
Setlaba and Tshabalala were two of nine people arrested and charged in connection with the defrauding of the department of about R7,9 million over the course of two years through false claims.
Singo said the two women pleaded guilty to charges of fraud and corruption based on the strength of evidence presented in court.
The two women worked in the department’s payment authorisation section at the time they reportedly committed the fraud, conspiring with different service providers.
“During the period between 2009 and 2012, Tshabalala and Setlaba were engaged in fraudulent activities involving service providers at the Free State Department of Human Settlements.
They demanded gratification in the form of cash from service providers in exchange for facilitating payments.
“The accused falsified claims and supporting documents of service providers in order to process payments. Upon receipt of payments, service providers would then give the accused money as agreed,” said Singo.
Singo said the in-depth investigation by the elite crime fighting agency uncovered that the accused used the Housing Subsidy System (HSS) to identify old projects of the financial years from 2008 to 2009 which still had the remaining allocated budget at that time.
According to findings by the Hawks, three officials received about R520 000 in gratification from the various service providers in exchange for the facilitation of falsified and undue claim payments, which were processed through financial processes of the department.
Singo said charges were temporarily withdrawn against others fingered in the conspiracy to defraud the department.
Other accused are: Motebang Frank Mokoena, Sarah Bantikile Saila, Muso David Makae, Meshack Modise Tlokotsi, Thato Goodwill Sempe, Vincent Eric Beans, and Senki Samuel Ketlhoilwe.
