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Fraudster Tries to Scam SARS of R500K, Faces Serious Charges
A man accused of attempting to defraud the South African Revenue Service (SARS) out of nearly R500,000 has been released on R3,000 bail.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi confirmed that Linda Hlanze appeared in the Elukwatini Magistrate’s Court on Monday after his arrest by the Hawks’ Nelspruit-based Serious Corruption Investigation team. Hlanze allegedly tried to claim R453,423.57 using fraudulent tax documents.
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Police said the accused approached two individuals who had recently lost their jobs and allegedly submitted false tax claims on their behalf using fake IRP5 forms. When the claims were not processed by SARS, Hlanze reportedly contacted a SARS employee, offering payment in exchange for expediting the claims.
The scheme unraveled when one of the individuals involved reported the matter to the authorities. The case was handed over to the Hawks for further investigation.
Hlanze was eventually traced and arrested in Nhlazatshe. He is expected to appear in court again on March 10.
Mpumalanga Hawks head, Major General Nico Gerber, expressed concern over criminals exploiting SARS to manipulate taxpayers’ money. “We will investigate the matter to determine if the suspect was acting alone or as part of a group. Our team is committed to ensuring that all those involved face justice,” Gerber said.
This case adds to the growing list of fraud attempts targeting SARS, highlighting the importance of safeguarding public funds against corruption.
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