The woman is accused of defrauding the Department of Employment and Labour during a critical time for workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. File Picture: Leon Lestrade/ Independent Newspapers
Image: Leon Lestrade/ Independent Newspapers
A 38-year-old woman, Ntsebeng Marygold Moji, is facing legal repercussions after appearing in the Phuthaditjhaba Magistrates Court in the Free State on charges of fraud and money laundering.
The allegations against her reveal a sophisticated scheme that purportedly defrauded the Department of Employment and Labour during a critical time for workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Zweli Mohobeleli, Moji is accused of pocketing over R178,000 by filing fraudulent claims for ghost employees.
It is alleged that she applied for unemployment relief on behalf of 16 individuals who supposedly worked for her company, only for investigators to discover that none of these individuals were ever employed by her.
“This was done at the height of COVID-19 when employers and workers turned to the Department of Employment and Labour for relief. Over R178,000 was paid into her business account. However, it later surfaced that none of the individuals appearing on her application worked for her," said Mohobeleli.
He said that Serious Commercial Crime Investigation detectives from the Hawks in Bethlehem approached the court with evidence of her alleged crimes, and a warrant for her arrest was issued.
She was subsequently arrested on Tuesday, and appeared in court the same day. She was released on R5,000 bail.
She is expected back in court on March 7, 2025.
sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za
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