Members of the Border Management Authority (BMA) on Thursday arrested a man at the Ramatlabama border post between South Africa and Botswana for alleged COVID-19 Temporary Employer/ Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) fraud.

Tokelo Winston Frederick Modiboa, who has been on the run since November 2022, joins 20 other accused implicated in the COVID-19 TERS fraudulent claims which occurred between the years 2020 and 2021.

According to a statement by the police, the 59-year-old appeared in the Mmabatho Magistrate’s Court on Friday and is facing charges of fraud.

An investigation by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation revealed that Modiboa received payments from three main accused – Kegomoditswe Parisian Moselane (36), Irving Ikgopoleng Mongale (46) and Khotjwe Goodwin Motsei (50) – who submitted fraudulent claims for their alleged employees.

The police said Moselane allegedly submitted fraudulent claims in the amount of R271 000 from the Department of Employment and Labour for 47 individuals who hav
e never worked for her company.

The investigation further uncovered that Moselane transferred money into the bank accounts of seven other accused, including Modiboa who received R27 000.

Seven suspects were arrested in November 2022 by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit in collaboration with the Tactical Operations Management Section (TOMS).

Further investigation revealed that Modiboa received R34 000 from Mongale, who had claimed R970 000 from the department for 150 individuals who were never employees at his company.

The money was transferred to 13 other accused who have since been arrested and are out on bail.

Modiboa further received R89 500 from Khotjwe Goodwin Motsei who fraudulently claimed over R1 million for 133 individuals whom he alleged to be his employees. The funds were transferred to 11 other suspects who were arrested in November 2022 and are also out on bail.

‘This brings the total number of suspects arrested for COVID-19 TERS fraudulent claims to 21. All the accused
have been charged with fraud. Modiboa was remanded in custody and will appear in court on 5 June 2024,’ said the police.

Source: South African Government News Agency