Four members of a family related to former North West University professor Nolutho Diko handed themselves over to the Hawks on Wednesday after fraud and money-laundering charges were opened against them.
The suspects – Sinayo Diko, 29, Nqophisa Diko, 35, Nomakade Diko, 39 and 48-year old Siyabulela Ndengane – were arrested in relation with an investigation into allegations that the professor defrauded the university of more than R400 000.
Hawks spokesperson Tlangelani Rikhotso said: “It is reported that between May 2016 and April 2017, she [Nolutho Diko] allegedly submitted financial claims to the university under the name of her company, reportedly on behalf of external consultants and other service providers whom she alleged have rendered services to the university.
“Through investigations, it was discovered that those service providers never rendered any services to the university.”
The 58-year-old former North West University professor appeared in the Mmabatho magistrate’s court in September 2022 and the case was postponed to June 15 2023.
“Three of her children and her brother, who are co-directors of Fabued College Co-operative Limited, appeared in the Mmabatho magistrate’s court on Wednesday where they each faced 12 counts of fraud and 11 counts of money-laundering,” said Rikhotso.
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