A scammer will appear in the Welkom Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (19/3) on charges of corruption after a failed attempt to defraud a job seeker. She was remanded in custody after her first court appearance a week ago.

Liabeng Hoffman (45) was arrested during a Hawks operation on Friday (8/3) in Welkom after the Hawks followed up on information she was going to collect money from the victim.

The Matjhabeng Municipality advertised vacancies for trainee traffic officers in February and asked the public to apply. “A twenty-year-old job applicant was thrilled to hear from a woman verifying that her application had been received,” said Free State Hawks spokesperson Zweli Mohobeleli.

‘Detectives were waiting for her and she was arrested’

“But the caller said if she paid R10,000, she would be appointed as a trainee traffic officer. The matter was reported to the Welkom serious corruption investigation unit and when the woman was supposed to collect her money detectives were waiting for her and she was immediately arrested,” said Mohobeleli.

The woman was found to not even be employed by the municipality when the unit conducted additional investigations.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame dg