The Middelburg based Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team arrested 56-year-old Milton Mbongeni Lushaba on Friday morning for alleged fraudulent double invoices to the Department of Education for scholar transport committed 14 years ago.

Lushaba appeared in the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court shortly after his arrest. The investigation itself started around April 2015 when the case was opened. The Hawks’ investigation uncovered that between September and October 2007, Lushaba as a transport service provider submitted invoices for services that were never rendered, in fact in some instances he submitted claims for the period when schools were closed. This resulted in the department losing around R280 000-00.

The court granted Lushaba bail of R10.000-00. He is expected to appear in the Middelburg Commercial Specialised Crime Court on 12 November 2021.

Meanwhile, in a separate and unrelated matter, 34-year-old Siboniso Isaac Manyisa who is a former bank consultant was sentenced to a fine of R15000-00 or three (3) years imprisonment and further eight (8) years imprisonment that was suspended for period of five (5) years on condition that the accused is not convicted of fraud or theft committed during the period of suspension.

Manyisa is a former employee of First National Bank branch at Ermelo wherein in April of 2019, he tried to transfer the sum of R 10-million from the bank’s client account without his knowledge. The transfer was subsequently stopped by the bank as normal procedures were not followed. The client was called and he confirmed that he never authorised such a transaction which resulted in the Hawks arresting Manyisa hence his conviction.

Source: South African Police Service