Municipal cashier faces 20 fraud charges

A CASHIER at Emthanjeni Local Municipality in the Pixley ka Seme District was released on bail of R1,000 after she allegedly failed to report monies that were paid over to the eNatis system.

Hawks provincial spokesperson Captain Tebogo Thebe said the accused, Nomava Luwalala, 44, appeared briefly before the Hanover Magistrate's Court on December 1 where she is facing charges relating to 20 counts of fraud.

“Luwalala was arrested on December 1 by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team when she reported for duty at the Hanover local municipal offices,” said Thebe.

“Allegations are that the accused person manipulated the eNatis system for over a period of time covering July 2019 to December 2020, while performing her duties, she failed to report all the monies received. The municipality suffered a loss of R120,252 as a result.”

Thebe stated that Luwalala was granted bail of R1,000.

“The case was postponed until March 20 for the matter to be transferred to the regional court.”