Five suspects will on Wednesday appear before the Orkney Magistrate’s Court on charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering.

The sixth suspect is under police guard at a hospital where he was arrested.

Aged between 37 and 45, the six were arrested simultaneously in Johannesburg, Vryburg, Orkney and Klerksdorp on Tuesday for alleged fraud, corruption and money laundering worth approximately R2.5 million.

Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said the probe emanated from the VBS investigation wherein investigators noticed suspicious transactions on the account of Dr Kenneth Kaunda Municipality.

“Further probing allegedly revealed that between 2017 and 2019, money was allegedly continuously deposited from the Dr Kenneth Kaunda Municipal accounts into the accounts of three municipality officials,” she said.

Mogale said one of the three officials, who had since left the municipality, would allegedly routinely make payments into the bank accounts of his wife and brother.

“He reportedly also routed more funds into an account belonging a woman in Johannesburg allegedly under the guise of a tender that was awarded. The woman would subsequently send the money back to him,” she said.

National Hawks head Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya expressed gratitude on a job well done to both the investigation and prosecution in ensuring that these suspects are brought before court.

“No efforts will be spared in ridding the country of corruption and related activities,” General Lebeya said.

Source: South African Government News Agency