Five suspects will make their first appearance before the Orkney Magistrate’s Court this morning, 25 May 2022 where they will be facing charges of fraud, corruption, and money laundering. Meanwhile, the sixth suspect is under police guard at the hospital where he was arrested.
The six suspects aged between 37 and 45 were arrested simultaneously in Johannesburg, Vryburg, Orkney, and Klerksdorp respectively on 24 May 2022 for alleged fraud, corruption, and money laundering worth approximately R2.5 million.
The probe emanate from the VBS investigation wherein investigators noticed suspicious transactions on the account of Dr. Kenneth Kaunda Municipality. Further probing allegedly revealed that between 2017 and 2019, money was allegedly continuously deposited from the Dr. Kenneth Kaunda Municipal accounts into the accounts of three municipality officials.
One of the three officials who has since left the municipality would allegedly routinely make payments into the bank accounts of his wife and brother. He reportedly also routed more funds into an account belonging to a woman in Johannesburg allegedly under the guise of a tender that was awarded. The woman would subsequently send the money back to him.
The National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya expressed his gratitude for a job well to both the investigation and prosecution in ensuring that these suspects are brought before the court. “No efforts will be spared in ridding the country of corruption and related activities, General Lebeya reiterated”.