10 of 11 accused in Sassa R260 million fraud case granted bail
The 11 accused in the R260 million South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) fraud case. Picture: X/@KayaNews
Ten of the 11 accused in the R260 million South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) fraud case have been released on bail.
The accused fraudsters returned to the Lenasia Magistrate's Court, south of Johannesburg, on Thursday to continue their bail application.
Bail
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the bail amounts range between R10 000 and R30 000.
'The fourth accused, Ethiopian national Abenezer Tilahyn, was denied bail after the court ruled, he posed a flight risk. The matter has been postponed to 2 September 2025 for further investigation.
ALSO READ: 11 accused in Sassa R260 million fraud case to remain behind bars
'As part of the bail conditions, the accused are required to surrender their travel documents and are prohibited from interfering with the ongoing investigation or any state witnesses,' Mjonondwane said.
'No flight risks'
Mjonondwane said in considering the bail application, the court reviewed affidavits from the investigating officer, Constable Manana, as well as two affidavits from Mazimela Kubeka, a senior internal investigator at Sassa.
'These documents outlined how the accused were implicated in the alleged crimes. The court found no evidence that the ten accused, excluding Tilahyn, were flight risks or that they would interfere with evidence or the investigation.
ALSO READ: Sassa millions 'heist' in Rosebank underground car park
'Sassa confirmed that the implicated employees have been suspended and no longer have access to its systems,' Mjonondwane said.
Charges
Shumani Khwerana and his ten co-accused, eight of whom are Sassa officials, face multiple charges, including cybercrime, fraud, and theft.
Some of the accused who had been previously arrested include Khwerana, Nkhensani Sharon Maluleke, Tshilidzi Ramaphosa and Tilahyn.
Fraud scheme
The state alleges that the accused are alleged to have orchestrated a sophisticated scheme involving the creation of fake Sassa profiles, from which more than R4 million was allegedly deposited.
These profiles were allegedly used to withdraw large sums of money from various Sassa pay points.
Mjonondwane said the NPA respects the court's ruling, which marks only a stage in the legal process.
'This development does not deter the NPA's commitment to ensuring accountability and transparency within the public sector,' Mjonondwane said.
ALSO READ: 70-year-old Sassa fraudster who stole R100 000 will soon be on trial
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
2 hours ago
- The South African
Another lie? Joslin's mom has 'dream' of her location
Social media users are reacting to rumours that Kelly Smith reportedly had a 'dream' about the location of her missing child, Joslin Smith. This comes as police confirmed that they were following up on new leads in the informal settlement of Middelpos. In May, the Saldanha Bay woman and two others, Jacquin 'Boeta' Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn, were convicted and sentenced by Western Cape High Court judge Nathan Erasmus for kidnapping and child trafficking. Last February, the blonde-haired, green-eyed girl disappeared from her home. According to witnesses, she was allegedly sold to a sangoma for the purposes of 'muti'. On social media, South Africans have been speculating after police confirmed that they were following up on new information about the disappearance of Joslin Smith. Many referred to a rumour that the little girl's mother – Kelly Smith – had 'dreamt' that Joslin was dead. She claimed her remains were located in Middelpos, where the Smith family resided. One Facebook user posted, 'Kelly apparently had a dream that she is buried in a drain in the cemetery behind Middelpos. Kelly is playing games.' Another added: 'Kelly Smith is probably the one who helped dig the hole then. Her hands and arms were full of sand'. A third added: 'I think that Kelly has possibly given the investigating officers information regarding who exactly it was that she sold Joslin to'. Is Joslin Smith still alive? According to rumours, her mother believes she is dead and her remains are buried near her home. Images via YouTube screenshot: SABC News. During an eight-week trial, witnesses relayed how Kelly Smith bragged about selling her daughter to a sangoma for R20 000. She also allegedly claimed her child had been trafficked by a Nigerian man. Kelly reportedly told her sister that Joslin could also be 'hiding' in the Middelpos informal settlement. Kelly and her co-accused refused to testify in court. In a statement, police confirmed that they were following up on new leads in the active investigation into Joslin Smith's disappearance. It read: 'SAPS teams led by detectives with K-9 members, search and rescue teams, and local police have been scouring an identified area in Saldanha Bay. Whether the ongoing search will yield any success remains to be seen. 'It is worth reiterating that police have an obligation to follow up and test all information that is brought to their attention'. Police appealed to the public to give them space and time to perform their duties as the investigation continues.' Meanwhile, Kelly Smith, Jacquin Appollis, and Steven van Rhyn will appeal their life sentences for kidnapping and child trafficking relating to Joslin Smith. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila confirmed that the trio will appear in the Western Cape High Court on 12 and 13 August. He said: 'All three have filed papers challenging both conviction and sentence. The NPA will oppose the applications, and we are confident that there are no prospects of success. State witness Lourentia Lombaard – a former accused – has yet to hear her fate from Judge Nathan Erasmus. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
Legal battle erupts as Ingonyama Trust pursues former chair over millions
THE former chairperson of Ingonyama Trust Board (ITB), Judge Jerome Ngwenya, who is being accused of hoarding millions borrowed by Ingonyama Holdings from the ITB SABELO NSELE The Ingoyama Trust Board (ITB) is pointing fingers at its former chairperson, Judge Jerome Ngwenya, for hoarding R41 million of its funds. The members of the board said they're at their wits' end attempting to recoup R41 million in loans that were borrowed by its investment arm, Ingonyama Holdings, when Ngwenya was still the chairperson of the board. Ngwenya is one of the directors of Ingonyama Holdings, and the board has failed several times to remove him from this position. The interim chief executive of ITB, Siyamdumisa Vilakazi, said they have taken legal action against Ngwenya. Vilakazi said Ingonyama Holdings was registered in 2019, and in 2021 it borrowed millions of rand from ITB. Vilakazi said Ngwenya has refused to answer where this money went. "This money was paid in three caches. The first batch was R10 million in March 2021, followed by another R10 million in July and then R21 million in November. Since then, Ingonyama Holdings has never produced any financial reports of its expenditure. The Auditor-General keeps asking when this money is going to be paid back," said Vilakazi. He said they've applied twice to the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) to have Ngwenya removed as the director of Ingonyama Holdings. They've failed in both instances, according to Vilakazi, as Ngwenya's lawyers keep opposing the removal. "Today we are saying we are distancing ourselves from Ingonyama Holdings. We want people to know that Ingonyama Trust has been taken over by some people. That's why we have taken legal action." He said he can't explain further on their multi-pronged legal approach since there are ongoing investigations. "There are also suspicions of corruption that are being probed by the Hawks," said Vilakazi. Attempts to get Ngwenya's comment were met with anger. He asked how the board has failed to take away Ingonyama Holdings from him if the company truly belongs to the Ingonyama Trust. Ngwenya challenged this reporter to send proof of the registration of Ingonyama Holdings, attempts to remove him as the director of the company, and the details of the legal action allegedly taken against him before he could proceed with answering questions. The deputy chairperson of the Ingonyama Trust, Advocate Linda Zama, said it was a mistake to have Ngwenya as both chairperson of ITB and a director of Ingonyama Holdings simultaneously. Zama, who was a member of the ITB when Ingonyama Holdings was given R21 million in loans, said she opposed this decision; however, she was outnumbered when the board voted on the matter. The matter caused her to resign from the board.
SowetanLIVE
5 hours ago
- SowetanLIVE
State's corruption case against Mabuyakhulu and others in failed jazz festival project back on the table
A bid by the state to appeal against the discharge of ANC heavyweight Mike Mabuyakhulu and others charged with corruption in relation to the failed 2012 R28.5m North Sea Jazz Festival project is back on the table. The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) ordered the decision of KwaZulu-Natal high court judge Mahendra Chetty, dismissing the state's application for special leave to appeal, be referred to the SCA for reconsideration, and oral argument, including on the merits, if requested by the court. Mabuyakhulu — the ANC's provincial task team co-ordinator — and 15 others, including former economic development department head Desmond Golding, event organisers Ceaser Mkhize, Mabheleni Ntuli, Basil Ninela and his wife Brenda, Nothando Zungu, Ntokozo Ndlovu and Njabulo Mkhize — faced fraud, money-laundering and corruption charges relating to the festival. The state alleged the service providers were irregularly paid and the politicians received kickbacks. In May 2023, Chetty, in an application at the end of the state's case, effectively acquitted the accused without them having to put up a defence. This, he said, was because there was not a shred of evidence against them. In a 100-page ruling, which took three hours to read, Chetty went through each charge against each accused, noting the paucity of evidence against them, that in some instances the allegations were a 'stretch too far', and that a 'sniff of suspicion' was not enough in a criminal trial. In terms of law, the state can only seek to appeal against what it considers to be a misdirection by the trial court on questions of law, not questions of fact. In considering the application for leave to appeal to the SCA Chetty had ruled even if his judgment revealed he might have been mistaken in his assessment of the evidence the state could not appeal against this. He was not convinced there were reasonable prospects the SCA would find he had committed a mistake in law and it would lead to the accused in the matter being convicted. Mabuyakhulu, who was economic development and tourism MEC at the time, was charged with taking a bribe of R300,000 in return for the award of the contract to what became a joint venture. Chetty's ruling came after their lawyers applied for their discharge, in terms of section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act, without having to put up a defence. This is done at the discretion of the judge at the close of the state's case in circumstances where the state has failed to prove its case and cannot secure a conviction without the accused having to testify and possibly incriminate themselves. On Friday, Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, KwaZulu-Natal NPA spokesperson said: 'The NPA welcomes the opportunity to argue its case before the SCA that the honourable judge Mahendra Chetty erred in law in discharging the accused, that there are reasonable prospects of success on appeal, and that there are compelling reasons for the appeal to be heard by the SCA. Prosecutors will continue to vigorously challenge any decision considered to be wrong in law using available legal remedies.' TimesLIVE
