PRETORIA – Three suspects appeared before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday 10 September after being arrested for their alleged involvement in a Covid-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) fraud syndicate totalling more than R13 million.

Andiswa Jessica Tapu (40), Yolanda Nombuso Mgobo (32) and Sipho Sokhela (31) were arrested by the Hawks’ Vaalrand Serious Corruption Crimes Investigation on Thursday after the finalisation of an investigation.

The Hawks alledge that Tapu, the director of the company Flatmont Enterprise, and her team exploited the online Siyaya system designed to process emergency TERS relief funds during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

She allegedly submitted a fraudulent application initially claiming for 56 employees, which was later deliberately inflated to 1 198 ghost employees.

As a result of this misrepresentation, the Unemployment Insurance Fund suffered a total loss of R13 079 462,39, which was paid into the company’s bank account.

The Hawks said in a statement the multi-disciplinary investigation revealed that the other suspects actively participated in the scheme by opening specific bank accounts to receive, launder and distribute the illicit proceeds.

The trio faces extensive charges, including 40 counts of theft, 40 counts of fraud, money laundering and contravening Section 5 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.

The three were released on R10 000 bail and will return to court on 3 December.