6 in court over labour dept fraud

2011-11-21 16:30

Pretoria - Six former civil servants and a physiotherapist appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Monday on fraud charges.

Magistrate Nika Setshogoe transferred the matter to the Pretoria Magistrate's Court, where it would continue on December 12.

The seven allegedly defrauded the labour department of R1m.

Former civil servants Maxwell Ramaphosa, Samuel Mfeleng, Kgabo Methi, Debbie Venter, Tendani Mukomafhedzi, and Billy Ramskin allegedly colluded with physiotherapist Abel Diokano.

Mfeleng and Methi would re-apply for legal aid when the matter resumed in December, said labour department spokesperson Page Boikanyo.

Fraud, money laundering

He said the seven faced four counts of fraud and two of money laundering.

None of them was in custody and they still had to plead to the charges.

Mfeleng and Ramaphosa were also involved in two other cases.

In the first, they faced charges of money laundering and fraud, along with Methi and physiotherapist Jones Modau.

This case would resume in the Pretoria Specialised Crimes Court on December 14.

In the second case - relating to the department's Compensation Fund - they faced 15 counts of fraud and 26 counts of money laundering.

For this matter, they would appear again in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on February 22.

- SAPA