NPA probing alleged theft of Covid-19 funds
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has secured a preservation order for more than R3.2 million after the money was paid into the account of an employee at Tshepang Phohole.
The money was part of R5.7-million in Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) cash allocated to CSG Resourcing and meant to pay over 200 employees at different companies.
Preservation order was granted by the Gauteng High Court on Friday.
"The amount of R 5 688 81.66 was to be paid into a nominated bank account of CSG Resourcing but was paid into an account of a different bank of Phohole. The payment was discovered by CSG Resourcing after the relief funding was approved by the UIF but did not reflect on their account,” says NPA spokesperson Sipho Ngwema.
"Following the discovery, the matter was reported to the South African Police Service by CSG Resourcing. The SAPS referred it to the Financial Intelligence Centre for urgent interventions on the bank accounts.”
Ngwema says the investigations reveals that after receiving the funds, Phohole transferred portions of the funds into other numerous bank accounts held by himself and other individuals.
"This constitute fraud or theft. These numerous other accounts were then utilised to further transfer the funds into other accounts, thereby attempting to disguise the original origin of the funds, and by doing so committing the offence of money laundering.”
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