R770,000 paid for nothing: Senior municipal official arrested for fraud and corruption
The Hawks in Limpopo have arrested a senior official attached to the Maruleng Local Municipality for alleged fraud and corruption involving more than R770,000.
According to provincial Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Lethunya Mmuroa, the 58-year-old suspect was arrested on Tuesday by members of the Phalaborwa-based Hawks’ serious corruption investigation unit.
Preliminary investigations revealed that during July 2015, the suspect was serving as acting municipal manager at the Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality when he took a decision to appoint a private company to assist with monitoring and restoring electricity supply after a major power outage in the area.
Mmuroa said the appointment was made without following proper procurement processes.
“A few days later, the company submitted several claims without rendering any services to the municipality, and all those claims were processed and paid,” he said.
As a result, the Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality suffered a financial loss of more than R770,000.
The case was reported to the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team, which launched a probe that led to the arrest of the suspect.
Mmuroa said more arrests are imminent as the investigation continues.
Provincial head of the Hawks in Limpopo, Major General Gopz Govender, commended the investigating team for its dedication.
“The Hawks remain committed to rooting out corruption and ensuring that those who abuse public resources are brought to justice,” said Govender.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
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