Modiehi Mokoena was arrested by the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in Vereeniging on Thursday for creating ghost employees at Fezile Dabi Education District, where worked as a Human Resource Officer.
The 57-year-old, who appeared before the Sasolburg Magistrates faces charges of fraud, forgery, uttering and money laundering.
The Department of Education had conducted an investigation and discovered that the ghost employees and salary advice were created in the names of her family members.
Police spokesperson Captain Christopher Singo said she had used her personal banking details as if they belonged to those of the ghost employees.
“The accused made salary payments to different bank accounts that belonged to her. The incident took place between the period of 2006 and 2018,” said Singo.
Singo said the department suffered a total loss of more than R1m as a result of these fraudulent activities.
She was granted R5000 bail and is expected back in court on the June 24.
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