The National Prosecuting Authority’s asset forfeiture unit (AFU) will auction a Gonubie house belonging to an OR Tambo municipal employee implicated in R4.6-million fraud.
The AFU attached the two-bedroom double-storey house situated in River Reed estate, valued at R1.9-million, earlier this month after it found that the property had been bought with money stolen from the municipality.
The home belonged to Thumeka Qongqo, a sister of the municipality’s finance directorate staff member Nyameka Qongqo.
Qongqo was suspended earlier in September when the municipality discovered the fraud.
On Tuesday Grahamstown High Court Judge Jeremy Pickering granted the AFU a forfeiture order over the house, its furniture and a white VW Golf 7 valued at R600000.
Provincial NPA spokesman Tshepo Ndwalaza said the properties would be sold by an appointed curator at a date yet to be announced.
“The property is viewed as proceeds of fraud, theft and money laundering,” said Ndwalaza adding that the sisters had been given the opportunity to oppose the order.
He said the order stemmed from a complaint by OR Tambo’s municipal manager Henley Tshaka Hlazo to the Hawks after he noticed a fictitious payment of R2.5-million to the account of Qongqo’s sister in April.
Suspicion surfaced when the municipality discovered that Qongqo had requested authorisation for the amount to be paid into Thumeka’s account as payment to a municipal service provider.
Ndwalaza said Thumeka was never a municipal service provider.
During the investigation the Hawks discovered that an additional R2.1-million had been taken.
These funds were allegedly deposited on February 13 last year into an account belonging to a close corporation, Ogiyonke Construction, owned by Thumeka.
Qongqo later transferred R1.8-million into the account of a local law firm that assisted Thumeka in buying the Gonubie house.
The municipality’s spokesman Phendule Mbewu welcomed the order.
He said the court’s decision would serve as warning to would-be corrupt employees.
“We want to send a strong message to our employees that government is not a place for corruption,” said Mbewu. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
Asset unit to auction Gonubie house
The AFU attached the two-bedroom double-storey house situated in River Reed estate, valued at R1.9-million, earlier this month after it found that the property had been bought with money stolen from the municipality.
The home belonged to Thumeka Qongqo, a sister of the municipality’s finance directorate staff member Nyameka Qongqo.
Qongqo was suspended earlier in September when the municipality discovered the fraud.
On Tuesday Grahamstown High Court Judge Jeremy Pickering granted the AFU a forfeiture order over the house, its furniture and a white VW Golf 7 valued at R600000.
Provincial NPA spokesman Tshepo Ndwalaza said the properties would be sold by an appointed curator at a date yet to be announced.
“The property is viewed as proceeds of fraud, theft and money laundering,” said Ndwalaza adding that the sisters had been given the opportunity to oppose the order.
He said the order stemmed from a complaint by OR Tambo’s municipal manager Henley Tshaka Hlazo to the Hawks after he noticed a fictitious payment of R2.5-million to the account of Qongqo’s sister in April.
Suspicion surfaced when the municipality discovered that Qongqo had requested authorisation for the amount to be paid into Thumeka’s account as payment to a municipal service provider.
Ndwalaza said Thumeka was never a municipal service provider.
During the investigation the Hawks discovered that an additional R2.1-million had been taken.
These funds were allegedly deposited on February 13 last year into an account belonging to a close corporation, Ogiyonke Construction, owned by Thumeka.
Qongqo later transferred R1.8-million into the account of a local law firm that assisted Thumeka in buying the Gonubie house.
The municipality’s spokesman Phendule Mbewu welcomed the order.
He said the court’s decision would serve as warning to would-be corrupt employees.
“We want to send a strong message to our employees that government is not a place for corruption,” said Mbewu. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos