According to the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) regional spokesperson, Phaladi Shuping, the tax man has since made arrangements with banks that any money which is paid over to the company's account, should be paid over to its coffers. This as Thapelo Buthelezi, his wife Monica, and accountant, Nkosana Meshack Sekobane, appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on Thursday on charges of fraud and tax evasion, with money involved amounting to at least R600 million.

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They face at least 95 counts after they have allegedly defrauded Sars of millions of rands. They are accused of submitting fraudulent tax returns between 2014 and 2019, as if their companies did not trade, whereas they were in business with the Free State Department of Health.

They have each been released on bail of R30 000 and they are set to re-appear in the same court again on 23 February 2023.

"Allegations are that between 2014 and 2019 they had contracts with the department of Health in the Free State but when they submitted their tax returns, they ( instead) submitted nil returns in a way that they misrepresented it,as if the companies did not trade, whereas they traded with the Department of Health," Phaladi adds.

They were supposed to have paid Sars over R132 million in tax after earning more than R900 million but instead they fraudulently claimed R30 million.

Buthelezi and his wife all have properties in Gauteng and the Free State worth over at least R10 million, including movable objects. The state prosecutor Advocate Yvonne Phori, on Thursday told the magistrate that the investigations into the matter have been completed.

OFM News