R7.5m Cogta theft: second suspect nabbed

A second person has been arrested in connection with the theft of R7.5 million from the KZN Cogta department.

Durban - A second person has been arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) in connection with the theft of R7.5 million from the KwaZulu-Natal cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) department.

Cogta spokesman Lennox Mabaso said on Thursday that the junior departmental official was arrested at the home of the businessman who was arrested last week and released on R50 000 bail.

The official is alleged to have bypassed the department’s security controls last month and allegedly managed to send a payment to the businessman instead of the Ingwe Local Municipality for whom it had been intended.

The theft was picked up when the municipality complained that it had yet to receive the money.

Last week Wednesday, Mabaso said that the employee failed to report for work after making the unauthorised transaction.

The businesman, Mex Dhladla, appeared in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court in connection with the missing money. He was released on bail of R50 000 and is expected to appear back in court on February 1.

None of the money has been recovered. Mabaso said it was possible that there were more people involved. Mabaso said the employee was expected to appear in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

African News Agency

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