Four officials of the Free State’s department of police, roads and transport, and a company director are charged with fraud and money laundering. This followed their arrest by the Welkom Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team.
The men briefly appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court yesterday, 18 January. Charges arose from allegations of the group defrauding the department, by colluding to make payments to a private company for services never rendered in 2018. The suspects 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, Lebogang Godfrey Mohapi (35), engineer technician, and Reabetsoe Daniel Motsoeneng (37), director of the Devision Projects company.
WO Fikiswa Matoti, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said probing was launched after the department management at the time received information regarding irregularities pertaining to a community development project in the Lejweleputswa District Municipality. The project for dismantling and installation of road signs was allocated to Motsoeneng’s company, Devision Projects.
“The project was overseen by the chief engineer within the department. It was discovered that the department had made a payment of R387 360.23 to Devision Projects, despite services never being rendered. Further investigation revealed that the company submitted two invoices, R172 216.00 for site establishment and R215 144.23 for the completed job, though no services were rendered,” said Matoti.
Reabetsoe Daniel Motsoeneng
According to Matoti, the alleged rot was discovered when the department was due to make a third payment of R587 587.65 after the submission of an invoice.
“A site inspection was conducted and then it was discovered that the service provider did not do any work as claimed. The payment was blocked. The payments were allegedly made as instructed by the officials who had a duty to visit the sites to ascertain the service provider, Devision Projects, completed the work,” said Matoti.
She said the suspects were granted bail with conditions.
“They were instructed to hand over their passports to the investigating officer and that they should not interfere with the investigations process,” said Matoti.
Mosia and Mosianedi were granted bail of R10 000 each, Lekwene bail of R7 000 while Motsoeneng and Mohapi were granted bail of R5 000 each. The matter was postponed to 8 February 2024.
