(MENAFN- The Post)
TWO South African women suspected of being a syndicate that stole M57 million from the Central Bank of Lesotho (CBL) appeared in the Ficksburg Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
Uthando Lorraine Modise, 37, and Marcious Lerato Lisene, 37, who are directors of a company called Traggulogy (Pty) Ltd, were arrested on Monday.
Although the charges in South Africa are that they stole M57 million from the CBL, Modise and Lisene are suspected to be part of the syndicate of seven Lesotho government employees on trial for allegedly stealing M50 million from the Ministry of Finance in 2020.
Their arrest was a result of collaboration between South Africa's Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, widely known as Hawks, and the Lesotho police.
The duo will reappear in court on March 13 to apply for bail.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) says the women laundered about M57 million stolen from the CBL in 2021.
A Hawks statement says the Bloemfontein-based Priority Crime Specialised Investigation (PCSI) was requested by their counterparts in Lesotho to trace money defrauded at the CBL and transferred to different South African companies.
“This crime was committed with the assistance of Lesotho officials who, after intercepting vouchers meant for legitimate service providers, diverted payments to their co-conspirators in South Africa,” the statement says.
“With the help of the Financial Intelligence Centre, it was established that money was funneled to a South African bank under different company accounts.”
The Head of the Hawks in the Free State, Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, said he was“pleased by the growing collaboration to curb cross-border crime, especially complex money laundering involving multiple accounts in different countries”.
The eight suspects in Lesotho, including a prominent lawyer, appeared in the Maseru Magistrates' Court in 2021 accused of stealing M50 million from the Ministry of Finance.
Seven of the suspects work in the Ministry of Finance's treasury department.
The prosecution says they siphoned M50 million from the government's coffers between October and September 2020.
They are Ntšeliseng Lawrence, Mookho Rafono, Lehlohonolo Selate, Tlali Mokoaleli, Thabang Nkoe, Hlabathe Phafoli and Thithili Makhesi.
They are alleged to have transferred the money to themselves and eight companies. Last year, the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences confiscated some of the suspects' cars in South Africa.
Each of them, except Advocate Rethabile Setlojoane who is a lawyer of one of the suspects, has been remanded out of custody on M5 000 bail and M10 000 surety.
The prosecution says the money was transferred into the bank accounts of Nivana (Pty) Ltd, Traggulogy (Pty) Ltd, Stone Curlew Holdings (Pty) Ltd, Sunny Penny (Pty) Ltd, Victorious General Dealer, Moletsima General Dealer, Hazel Nuts General Dealer and Plexus Suppliers (Pty) Ltd.
Nkheli Liphoto
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