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North Company Director Charged with Sassa Fraud to Return to Court in July
The trial against a 67-year-old North company director facing charges of perjury, fraud, and theft in the Pretoria North magistrate’s court has been postponed to July 29.
The case against Sarathamoney Devi Sigamoney resumed on Monday, April 15. Charges include the Contravention of the Social Assistance Act, perjury, fraud, and theft.
According to NPA North West spokesperson Henry Mamothame, Sigamoney allegedly applied for an old age grant with Sassa in April 2017, stating in a supporting affidavit that she had never worked in 20 years.
Mamothame revealed that the application was approved. Sigamoney purportedly received payments totalling R123,000 from July 2017 to July 2022, even after charges were registered against her.
Mamothame also stated that Sigamoney was the sole director of a company that awarded millions in tenders to supply furniture to the SAPS.
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He further alleged that her company, KJP, had been doing business with the state since 2012, preceding her pension application to Sassa. She had received payments of nearly R88 million from SAPS contracts, with the last payment made in 2022.
Mamothame stated that the state called on six SAPS and Sassa witnesses to give evidence against Sigamoney, including a Sassa quality assurance officer who confirmed that the grant application was made by the accused.
During her evidence-in-chief, led by her attorney, Sigamoney claimed she had not participated in any transactions by the company since 2012, alleging that her son and daughter-in-law were in charge of the company in her name.
However, evidence from KJP Trader’s account reportedly showed that the accused’s family had made various purchases.
Sigamoney will be cross-examined by the state when the case resumes in July.
Source: North company director accused of Sassa fraud returns to court in July
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