The Hawks in the Free State are yet to effect an arrest regarding an incident of fraud amounting to more than R8 million of the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) at the Tseseng post office in Qwaqwa. Four people are linked to the alleged fraud in which a church’s account at the post office was used to swindle the state agency, with money intended for persons in dire situations to enable them to meet their basic needs.
The suspects are said to be employees of the post office.
The police’s ongoing investigations into the involvement of the four persons has seen the Free State High Court grant an order to forfeit four vehicles plus money in various bank accounts. Application was brought by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) or Hawks, Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Lt Col. Zweli Mohobeleli, provincial spokesperson of the Hawks, said the granting of the order on 20 July, has intensified investigations to bring the culprits to book. He said preliminary findings discovered the suspects allegedly used a church’s account at the post office to siphon R8 million from a Sassa account.
“The four allegedly channelled the Sassa money into the account of a church, belonging to one of them,” said Mohobeleli.
He said the money was siphoned through the church account between January 2020 and February 2022.
Mohobeleli said four attached vehicles include two Toyota Avanzas, a Citi Golf, and a bakkie. He said the vehicles belong to two suspects fingered in the fraud case, adding that attached properties and the money are deemed proceeds of crime.
