More RAF defrauders held
2003-10-30 18:20
Durban - KwaZulu-Natal police said on Thursday they had rounded up 36 more alleged Road Accident Fund (RAF) defrauders.
Superintendent Vishnu Naidoo said the provincial task team investigating RAF fraud arrested the 36, both men and women aged between 23 and 65, in an operation that started on Monday night.
Naidoo said 25 more suspects were being sought.
The 61 have been linked to fraudulent claims that could have cost the RAF just under R1m.
The arrests were made in Phoenix and Isipingo and all 36 have already appeared in the Durban magistrate's court and were each granted bail of between R1 000 and R5 000.
The task team has arrested 127 suspects since its inception in April 2003, with a total value of R11.8m lodged in claims to the RAF.
Indications are that the arrests of suspected fraudulent claimants has impacted on the number of claims lodged with the RAF during the last 19 months compared to the same period in prior to the start of the investigations. The claims have almost halved, Naidoo said.
- SAPA