A rogue company director convicted of fraud relating to Covid-19 Temporary Employment Relief Scheme (Ters) funds has received a hefty sentence.
This includes that Lelokonyana Isak Letseng (44) was ordered to repay the monies with interest to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
WO Fikiswa Matoti, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court had sentenced Letseng and his two companies on 22 August, on charges of fraud and money laundering. The companies are Bophelo Botle Solutions (Pty) Ltd, operating in Bloemfontein, and Izuz Gibbor Pty (Ltd) located in Phuthaditjhaba, Qwaqwa.
“He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years on condition that he is not convicted of fraud, theft or any crime involving dishonesty. He was instructed to repay the UIF R1 780 017,24 – including 11,25% interest – within the period of five years,” said Matoti.
The first payment will be expected to be made from 1 November, with final payment on or before 30 November 2029.
“On money laundering charges, Letseng was sentenced to a fine of R10 million, wholly suspended for five years on condition that he is not convicted of the same offence during the period of suspension. He was not declared unfit to possess a firearm,” said Matoti.
Bophelo Botle Solutions was sentenced to a fine of R2 million for fraud and R3 million for money laundering, while Izuz Gibbor was fined R2 million for fraud and R2 million for money laundering.
“The sentences are wholly suspended for five years,,” said Matoti.
Sentencing was done on the strength of evidence presented following probing by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team and the Special Investigating unit (SIU) at the Department of Employment and Labour.
It was discovered that Letseng had applied for Covid-19 Ters funding during the period of March 2020 to December 2020, on behalf of ghost workers alleging they were affected by Covid-19.
The UIF reportedly made nine different payments to the estimated amount of R800 000 to Bophelo between September 2020 and December 2020.
Probing relating to Izuz Gibbor discovered the UIF paid about R101 555,92 between July 2020 and December 2021.
Letseng has been appearing in court since May this year following his arrest.
He was granted bail of R5 000 and R10 000 for each case, respectively.
