Six people appeared in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court for allegedly defrauding the Northern Cape Department of Health. Picture: Supplied
SIX ACCUSED, who are facing charges of fraud, allegedly committed at the Northern Cape Department of Health and amounting to R9.9 million, were granted bail of R10,000 each by the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
One of the accused is a project manager at the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital in Kimberley.
The six accused are Valentia Monthlanke, 38, Godfrey Moncho, 51, Maclean Olebogeng Motlhanke, 38, Tshepo Timothy Mothlanke, 45, Millicent Amogelang Motlhanke, 45 and Nthabiseng Sekute, 35.
They made their first court appearance following their arrest by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team on Tuesday morning.
The case was postponed to February 3, 2021.
The case dates back to 2014, when the Northern Cape Department of Health awarded contracts for the renovation of hospitals in the Province.
The contracts were awarded to various business entities whose directors were apparently related.
Hawks Northern Cape provincial spokesperson Nomthandazo Mnisi said that the alleged fraud “occurred when the business entities that were related, cover quoted in ensuring that contracts were awarded to them in exclusion of competition”.
“These business entities also failed to disclose their interest and relationship with other related companies when they submitted their bid documents.
“The project manager is alleged to have assisted these companies by sourcing quotations from them,” said Mnisi.
The court revealed on Tuesday that the matter is a Schedule 5 offence due to the seriousness of the charge.
The manner in which the department suffered financial prejudice as a result of the alleged conduct of the suspects was also taken into account by the State.
It was also revealed that eight other suspects are linked to the case but did not appear in court on Tuesday due to various reasons.
The bail conditions set by the court included that the accused may not leave the country and must report to their nearest police station if they have to leave the Province.
The accused were also warned not to interfere or intervene with any of the witnesses linked to the case, including on social media, and to report for every court date.