This, after they were arrested yesterday following a joint operation by the police and the Hawks.

The Hawks spokesperson in the province, Nomthandazo Mnisi, says the suspects, aged between 36 and 61, were arrested in connection with fraudulent claims made at the Kimberley Masters of the High Court office back in August 2015. 

She says the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in Pretoria received a complaint regarding the fraudulent claims and according to some of the interest-bearing cards, there was money paid to the suspects which appeared to be claimed later by the guardians of the beneficiaries.

“The main suspect is a former employee at the Kimberley Master of the High Court and he is accused of assisting four other co-accused to fraudulently claim the funds. The department suffered a loss totalling over R850 000,” Mnisi said.

She told OFM News that three of the suspects are unemployed, one employed, and the main suspect is the Masters’ Court former employee.

The five appears after an assistant at the Master of the High Court in Kimberley was granted R4 000 bail last week following his arrest.

Method Nkongani Gqetywa (49) appeared in the Kimberley Magistrate's Court last week Friday after his arrest on Thursday.

It is alleged that he extorted an amount of about R15 000 as a bribe to assist two women who had approached the court to claim a deceased's estate. The case against Gqetywa was postponed to August 29 for further investigations.

OFM News