The crime-busting Hawks unit has arrested four more suspects linked to the R13m Eastern Cape land claims corruption scandal.
The quartet, aged between 31 and 58 were nabbed around East London and Western Cape simultaneously on Friday.
Provincial Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said a warrant of arrest was authorised and executed on Friday for the quartet to be arrested.
They are expected to appear before the East London magistrates court on Monday.
They join Lungela Malusi, 46, a relative of the alleged mastermind, Funeka Malusi (formerly Funeka Goci) — who is a senior official at the regional land restitution commission’s office in Beacon Bay who was the last to be arrested in December.
All the accused are all out on a combined R90,000 bail.
They are facing a total of 62 counts of fraud, forgery and uttering.
Court documents alleged that Malusi was responsible for final approval of land claims and allegedly changed the account numbers of beneficiaries to those of the accused between 2017 and 2024.
The charge sheet further alleges the other accused spent the funds on themselves though some of the money would be returned to Malusi.
The Provincial Head of the Hawks, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, esteemed the determination shown by the Hawks investigating team for "efficaciously apprehending the suspects and bringing all of them one by one before the lady judge" he said.
Malusi had also served as the land claims commission’s bid specifications committee (BSC) chair and had been employed by the commission since October 1996, when she started as a low-ranking official before working her way up the ranks.
She is alleged to have paid millions of rand into her bank account, as well that of her daughter Chulumanco Malusi, 25, her helper Zoleka Mandintsi, 48, and relatives or acquaintances Zoleka Mbinambina, 55, Avukile Gxalo, 54, Nokuthembela Hope Malgas, 45, and Luvuyo Vika, 54.
Court documents reveal that the money was meant for claimants in Mxaxo location, AbaThembu, Skobeni, Dutyini, KwaLink, the Mbhems community, Ncora, Ohlsen farm, Zozo, Mdlankomo-Moyeni, Umfanta, Thornhill (Ntabethemba) and Taweni, among many other areas.
Daily Dispatch
Hawks arrest four more in land claim scandal
The crime-busting Hawks unit has arrested four more suspects linked to the R13m Eastern Cape land claims corruption scandal.
The quartet, aged between 31 and 58 were nabbed around East London and Western Cape simultaneously on Friday.
Provincial Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said a warrant of arrest was authorised and executed on Friday for the quartet to be arrested.
They are expected to appear before the East London magistrates court on Monday.
They join Lungela Malusi, 46, a relative of the alleged mastermind, Funeka Malusi (formerly Funeka Goci) — who is a senior official at the regional land restitution commission’s office in Beacon Bay who was the last to be arrested in December.
All the accused are all out on a combined R90,000 bail.
They are facing a total of 62 counts of fraud, forgery and uttering.
Court documents alleged that Malusi was responsible for final approval of land claims and allegedly changed the account numbers of beneficiaries to those of the accused between 2017 and 2024.
The charge sheet further alleges the other accused spent the funds on themselves though some of the money would be returned to Malusi.
The Provincial Head of the Hawks, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, esteemed the determination shown by the Hawks investigating team for "efficaciously apprehending the suspects and bringing all of them one by one before the lady judge" he said.
Malusi had also served as the land claims commission’s bid specifications committee (BSC) chair and had been employed by the commission since October 1996, when she started as a low-ranking official before working her way up the ranks.
She is alleged to have paid millions of rand into her bank account, as well that of her daughter Chulumanco Malusi, 25, her helper Zoleka Mandintsi, 48, and relatives or acquaintances Zoleka Mbinambina, 55, Avukile Gxalo, 54, Nokuthembela Hope Malgas, 45, and Luvuyo Vika, 54.
Court documents reveal that the money was meant for claimants in Mxaxo location, AbaThembu, Skobeni, Dutyini, KwaLink, the Mbhems community, Ncora, Ohlsen farm, Zozo, Mdlankomo-Moyeni, Umfanta, Thornhill (Ntabethemba) and Taweni, among many other areas.
Daily Dispatch
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