| 2024/06/20 |
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Media Statement FREE STATE – Paseka Ishmael Choeu (46) appeared before the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 20 June 2024, on charges of fraud and theft. This comes after he was arrested by members of the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team in Bloemfontein. In April 2022, information was received by the Hawks about a man allegedly employed by both provincial and local government departments at the same time. In January 2017, the suspect was employed by the Department of Higher Education and Training as a lecturer at Community Education and Training College in Bloemfontein. In 2019, he was also employed at Mangaung Metro Municipality as a financial manager. He was allegedly receiving two salaries from both government departments. It was further reported that the suspect was signing in the on-duty registers at both offices recording the same time. On Thursday, 20 June 2024, the accused handed himself over to the Hawks’ investigating officers to be arrested and make his first appearance in court. The case against Choeu has been remanded to 29 July 2024 for transfer to the Bloemfontein Specialised Commercial Crimes Court. He was granted R5 000 bail. Free State Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Major General Mokgadi Bokaba would like to warn anyone contemplating a similar crime that they shall be arrested. “It is theft of public funds and thus a serious crime. Those who commit such crimes by either being ghost employees or facilitating fraudulent employment will face the full might of the law,” she said. Ends
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