Lucia Mashego, a former post office manager, has been stripped of R146, 897.05 from her pension pay-out after orchestrating a scheme to defraud vulnerable South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) beneficiaries.
According to the Hawks in Mpumalanga, Mashego, who was the branch manager at Shatale Post Office in Bushbuckridge, colluded with teller Thandeka Dibakwane and a private individual, Precious Nyathi, to siphon funds from unsuspecting Sassa recipients.
The trio’s scheme involved creating duplicate Sassa cards, which Mashego provided to Dibakwane, who then passed them to Nyathi.
Beneficiaries lost R250k in the scheme
Nyathi used the cards to illegally withdraw money from various ATMs. And this resulted in a total loss of R250, 000 for the affected beneficiaries. The fraudulent activities came to light when another post office teller, Virginia Phoku, noticed the illicit operation. She exploited it by creating her own duplicate cards.
The case was investigated by the Hawks’ Nelspruit-based Serious Corruption Investigation unit.
On May 27, Mashego pleaded guilty to all 60 fraud charges. She was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years. This was on condition that she does not commit a similar offence during that period. The court also ordered the Asset Forfeiture Unit to seize R146, 897.05 from her pension fund.
Suspended sentences
Phoku, who took advantage of the scheme, was also found guilty. She received a two-year suspended sentence for five years, provided she avoids similar offences until January 2030. Major-General Nico Gerber, Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, said Dibakwane and Nyathi are scheduled to appear before the Commercial Crime Court on Wednesday, August 13.
Gerber further condemned the abuse of authority. He issued a stern warning to those in positions of power. And he urged them not to exploit the vulnerable for personal gain.
“We will investigate without fear or favour and ensure justice is served.”
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