FRAUD CASE AGAINST FORMER DIRECTOR OF MOSES KOTANE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY SET FOR PRETRIAL
The Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sitting in Mogwase, adjourned the case against Gabonewe Ridam Madikela (39), to 23 August 2023, for consultation and pretrial conference. The matter was set for pretrial, however, her legal team requested a further postponement, to peruse further documents provided by the state. Bail of R10 000 was extended and she has surrendered her passport to the investigating officer. The accused is facing six charges of fraud amounting to over R522 000, which she received as remuneration for six months, while she was allegedly simultaneously occupying another government post without her employer’s knowledge.
Madikela was arrested by the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation on 27 March 2023, following a thorough investigation into her alleged offence. The arrest emanates from her fraudulent orchestration of theft, involving her salary while she was employed by the Moses Kotane Local Municipality, as a Director of Local Economic Development from April to September 2022. The appointment was to commence on 01 July 2019 to end on 30 June 2024, with an all-inclusive annual salary of over R1 million.
It is alleged that in March 2022, the accused applied for study leave from 30 March 2022 to 24 May 2022, with a confirmation letter from an institution of higher learning. On 29 March 2022, she applied for 39 days of annual leave from 08 May 2022 to 27 June 2022, with the municipality granting her leave on both applications. Towards the end of the annual leave, she submitted sick notes from a private medical facility in Akasia, purportedly issued by her doctor, indicating that she was sickly and hospitalised.
Investigations by the Hawks have revealed that during the period of her leave and purported illness, she was employed by the Department of Water and Sanitation as a Director, while still earning a salary from the Moses Kotane Local Municipality. Investigations reveal that the reasons provided for her leave were false, including supporting documents from the institution of higher learning, as well as the medical certificates she provided as proof.
The state is ready to proceed with the trial, as investigations have been completed.
