Law enforcement Officials, led by Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions - Ouma Rasethaba - handed over the R18 million cheque to their Lesotho counterparts at the headquarters of the National Prosecuting Authority in Bloemfontein. 

This follows after reports that the Assert Forfeiture Unit proved the money was fraudulently paid into Absa, Capitec, FNB and Standard Bank accounts to defraud the Lesotho government.

Rasethaba acknowledged the work that was done by South Africa and Lesotho law enforcement agencies to recover the money in the space of just five months.

“The team has shown that looting [must] stop as the money is meant to build a better life for the people of the country. As law enforcement agencies under the motto ‘crime does not pay’, we are sending a strong message that money laundering won’t be tolerated across borders,” said Rasethaba.

OFM News previously reported that law enforcement agencies had established that officials from the Ministry of Finance allegedly extracted R50 million and deposited R31 million into various South African bank accounts.

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Meanwhile seven suspects are said to be facing charges of fraud and money laundering, as investigations are still under way.

OFM News