38-Year-Old Faces Court Over Alleged R178,000 Fraud During Pandemic

A 38-year-old woman, Ntsebeng Marygold Moji, is facing serious legal consequences after being charged with fraud and money laundering. She appeared in the Phuthaditjhaba Magistrates Court in the Free State, where she was accused of defrauding the Department of Employment and Labour during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Zweli Mohobeleli, spokesperson for the provincial police, Moji is alleged to have pocketed over R178,000 by submitting fraudulent claims for non-existent employees. Investigators uncovered that she had applied for unemployment relief on behalf of 16 individuals, all of whom were falsely listed as employees of her company.

“This fraud occurred at a critical time when both employers and workers relied on the Department of Employment and Labour for assistance during the pandemic. Over R178,000 was paid into her business account. However, further investigation revealed that none of the people listed in her application had ever been employed by her,” explained Mohobeleli.

The Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation detectives in Bethlehem gathered evidence and secured an arrest warrant for Moji. She was arrested on Tuesday and appeared in court the same day, where she was granted R5,000 bail.

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