WESTERN CAPE - Members attached to the Provincial Commercial Crime Investigation Unit (Banking and Electronic Group) arrested a 36-year-old suspect for theft, fraud, perjury and forger at a post office in Bishop Lavis today, 01 August 2022.

According to reports the suspect was employed as an employer at Lavis Town Post Office (Bishop Lavis), and as such managed the day to day administrative duties. During the month of May 2022, SASSA funds which had not been collected by the approved recipients, amounting to R200 000-00, was to be returned to the Post Office Bank account and to be collected by the relevant Private Security Company.

During the normal course of business, he would be required to complete the relevant deposit slip, a collection slip by the private security company and endorse this in the relevant register of the post office to indicate the banking of the uncollected funds. It is alleged that the suspect, then made forged entries into these registers, indicating that the funds were indeed collected by the security company and deposited into the post office bank account whereas this was not done.

This case was assigned to the Provincial Commercial Crime Investigation for further investigation. Witness statements were obtained which resulted in a prima facie case being investigated in support of the allegation. The suspect will appear at the Bishop Lavis Magistrates Court on 02 August 2022 on the mentioned charges.

The Provincial Commercial Crime Investigation on further investigation identified a further case involving approximately R500 000-00, using the same modus operandi. Investigations continues.

Source: South African Police Service