Stolen Money gets returned to Kouga
The Asset Forfeiture Unit handed a cheque of more than R 100 000 to Kouga Municipality last week (24 August 2016).
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesman Tsepo Ndwalaza said the money had been stolen by two former municipal employees who were convicted of theft in the Specialised Commercial Court in Port Elizabeth in 2015.
The employees worked as cashiers in the prepaid electricity section at Humansdorp of the municipality.
During the period of July 2011 and March 2012 it was established after a forensic audit that they had committed theft in the section.
In November 2013 State Advocate Warren Myburgh of the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) obtained a provisional restraint order in the Port Elizabeth High Court in terms of section 26 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998 against the employees.
The value of the order, restraining their pension money, was R101 711,73.
Ndwalaza said that, following their conviction, Myburgh brought a confiscation application and a confiscation order was granted, whereby the former employees would reimburse the municipality the full amount, together with interest.
They were also sentenced to a R100 000 fine each, which has to be paid within four years, and were given correctional supervision.
Elza Van Lingen, the Mayor of Kouga said that crime does not pay and the DA will accept nothing less than a clean administration.
“Corruption will be rooted out and we will deliver good governance to the people of Kouga,” said Van Lingen.