FIVE APPEAR IN COURT FOR SUBMITTING FRAUDULENT VAT RETURNS
A group of four accused persons, including a close corporation, have appeared in the Kimberley Magistrates` Court for submitting fraudulent VAT returns. The five accused Pantsi’s Construction & Plant Hire CC, Abrahams Oliphant (57), Sonnyboy Godfrey Ramathe (37), Mathobela Senane (40) and Aubrey Mokgobi Moeng (43), are facing nine counts of fraud.
It is alleged that between 14 February 2018 to 30 October 2018, Abrahams Oliphant with the assistance of three other accused (Sonnyboy Godfrey Ramathe, Mathobela Senane, Aubrey Mokgobi Moeng), submitted fraudulent VAT returns to SARS, on behalf of Pantsi’s Construction & Plant Hire CC to claim VAT refunds of over R16 million. It was during this period that the SARS requested supporting documents to substantiate the claims that were submitted by the accused, and they were unable to provide any supporting evidence.
When the Revenue services realised that the accused were unable to provide the evidence as requested, it initiated an audit and that is when it was discovered that the claims were fraudulent. The case was opened with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the investigations were launched in 2021. On 24 February 2023, the accused made their first appearance in Kimberley District Court and were all released on bail, with Abrahams Oliphant getting bail of R20 000, Sonnyboy Godfrey Ramathe bail of R20 000, Mathobela Senane bail of R15 000, and Aubrey Mokgobi Moeng being granted bail of R10 000.
The matter has been remanded to 17 March 2023, for an Attorney, further investigations, and possible additional arrest of other accused in this matter.
