QWAQWA – The Phuthaditjhaba Magistrates’ Court handed down hefty sentences – including financial penalties – to a businesswoman and her company regarding fraud related to the Covid-19 pandemic’s Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (Ters). The court sentenced both Ntsebeng Marygold Moji (39) and her company, Aqua Land and Swimming Services, on Tuesday, 19 August.
They were found guilty on charges of fraud and money laundering. The sentencing was the culmination of an investigation by the Bethlehem Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team, which uncovered compelling evidence.
WO Fikiswa Matoti, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said evidence presented in court revealed that Moji fraudulently received more than R178 000 in Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) money on behalf of 16 people purported to be working for her company. She said the accused applied to the Department of Labour for social insurance fund benefits during the Covid-19 period.
“It later surfaced that none of the individuals appearing on her application worked for her,” said Matoti. Following her conviction, she said Moji was sentenced to a fine of R178 128.36 for six counts of theft or four years’ imprisonment.
“For contravention of Section 6 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, she was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years. Moji’s company was fined R200 000 for theft and R200 000 for money laundering. The sentences were wholly suspended for five years,” said Matoti. She said the sentences are suspended on condition that both Moji and her company are not found guilty of the same offence during the period of suspension.
Moji had been appearing in court following her arrest in February this year. She was granted bail set at R5 000.
