R600 000 tender fraud accused to spend more time in jail before bail hearing

Fraud and corruption accused Taelo Itumeleng Polycarp Kgobokoe, a company director arrested over alleged malfeasance relating to a tender worth R600 000 will spend more time behind bars before applying for bail.

The 45-year-old faces eight charges of corruption and fraud. Kgobokoe, appeared in the Beaufort West Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. He was arrested in Harrismith, in the Free State, by the George-based Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team on September 30.

Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani said the officers pounced on him following the arrests of Beaufort West’s mayor Quinton Louw, his predecessor Noel Constable, Central Karoo District Municipality Speaker Mkhululi Hangana and municipal official Norwood Kotze. They handed themselves over to the Hawks early on September 17 and made a brief court appearance on the same day.

“The accused were all linked to an investigation by the Hawks into allegations of an illegal and irregularly awarded contract back in 2019 relating to the upgrades of roads in Merweville. Louw, Constable, Kotze and Hangana were all released on bail of R5 000 each with conditions. Their case will be back on the court roll on November 26, 2021, for attorneys of the accused to be present,” said Hani.

Kgobokoe was remanded in custody and was expected to be back in court on October 14 for his bail application. In the neighbouring Eastern Cape, former Ngqus­hwa Local Municipal manager Misiwe Phyllis Mpahl­wa, Mkhuseli Wi­seman Mxekezo, the current director of corporate servic­es, and Tinus Matthysen, former municipal acting chief financial off­icer were released on R1 000 bail each by the Peddie Magistrate’s Court.

They were arre­sted by the East London-based Hawks' Serio­us Commercial Crime Investigation team for allegations of fraud, corruption and contravention of Municipal Financial Management Act (MFMA).

“It is alleged that Mxekezo deliberately or negligently creat­ed an irregular expe­nditure by signing a memorandum dated 11 December 2019 for an event that would be held on the 12 Dec­ember 2019 without procurement process­es being followed for an amount of more than R273 000 for a Christmas event for the elderly people of the Peddie comm­unity.

“It is further alleged that Matthysen fai­led to prevent the irregular, unauthorised, fruitless and was­teful expenditure by approving payments to service providers without necessary documentation while he was on leave. Ma­tthysen is reported to have been complyi­ng with the instruction for him to effect the payment by then municipal manager Misiwe Mpa­hlwa,” said the Hawks.

They were arrested after the Hawks pounced on Busisi­we Mfunda on July 29 who also appeared at the Pedd­ie Magistrates' Court on the same day and was released on a R1 000 bail. She is alleged to have signed a memorandum as an applicant requesting procureme­nt of the goods and serv­ices for the Ch­ristmas event.

“It is further alleged that after approval, she went on to source the quotations from various fictitious service providers for her personal enri­chment by bypassing the supply chain off­ice. Mfunda will thus be joining her co-accus­ed at the same court on October 6, 2021 pending further inves­tigations.”