An East London man who allegedly attempted to scam the Road Accident Fund out of R600,000 was arrested this week.
The East London Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit nabbed Siyabulela Pati, 33, on Thursday.
Pati briefly appeared in the local magistrate’s court on a charge of fraud shortly after his arrest and was released on warning.
The case was postponed to December 2 for further proceedings.
Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana confirmed the claim appeared to have been falsified.
“The arrest follows an in-depth investigation into a fraudulent claim submitted to RAF on 16 July 2021,” Mhlakuvana said.
“He claimed that he had been a passenger in a motor vehicle that was involved in a collision with another vehicle at Qumza Highway in Mdantsane.
“The suspect reportedly claimed to have sustained a fractured sixth rib and multiple soft tissue injuries as a result of the accident.”
Mhlakuvana said the investigation and verification of accident records revealed that the accused had misrepresented facts.
The probe allegedly revealed he was the driver of the second vehicle involved in the collision, not a passenger.
In that capacity, he would only have been entitled to claim a limited amount under the principle of contributory negligence, according to Mhlakuvana.
“The false representation exposed RAF to a potential financial loss of about R600,000,” he said.
“The matter was subsequently referred to the Hawks for further investigation, leading to the suspect’s arrest on Thursday.”
Daily Dispatch
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