The Free State Hawks have secured their first conviction in the fraud and money laundering case involving a private company director and four officials of the Free State Department of Police, Roads and Transport. The Bloemfontein Regional Court on Tuesday, 8 October, handed down suspended sentences against fraud-accused director Reabetsoe Daniel Motsoeneng (38) and his company, Devision Projects (Pty) Ltd.
The accused faced charges of fraud and money laundering arising from undue payments worth R774 720. 46 for a road project in 2018 that never materialised. The Welkom Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team pounced on Motsoeneng and four officials of the department in January this year based on evidence of the investigations, which revealed the corrupt activity of defrauding the department.
WO Fikiswa Matoti, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said Motsoeneng’s company received the suspended sentences after entering into a plea agreement with the state.
“Motsoeneng’s company, Devision Projects (Pty) Ltd, was sentenced on two counts of fraud to a fine of R200 000, and on a charge of money laundering it was fined R500 000. The sentences were wholly suspended for three years, respectively, on the conditions the company is not convicted of money laundering during the period of suspension. Charges against Motsoeneng were withdrawn following a plea agreement with the state,” said Matoti.
Motsoeneng’s company was awarded a tender for a community development project in the Lejweleputswa District Municipality. The project entailed the dismantling and installation of road signs.
“It was discovered that the Department of Police, Roads and Transport had made a payment of R387 360.23 to Devision Projects for services that were never rendered. The probe further revealed that the company submitted two invoices amounting to R172 216.00 for site establishment and R215 144.23 for the completed job, though there were no services rendered,” said Matoti.
She said it was discovered that the company did not do any work during an inspection at the site. “This was when the department was about to make a third payment of R587 587.65 as per the submitted invoice and the payment was blocked,” said Matoti.
She said the project was overseen by a chief engineer within the department. “The payments were allegedly made as per the instruction of the officials who had a duty to visit the sites to ascertain whether or not the work was done,” said Matoti.
The department officials on trial are: Wilson Oleboheng Lekwene (39), regional engineer, Jones Johannes Mosia (47), an engineer and community development project co-ordinator, Tholang John Mosianedi (39) chief engineer, and Lebogang Godfrey Mohapi (35), engineer technician. They are currently out on bail ranging from R5 000 to R10 000. The trial is set to continue on 19 March 2025.
