The former head of the Free State Health Department, David Motau, is amongst thirteen people arrested overall in connection with an R 8,7 million tender fraud case that has rocked the department this weekend. 

Seven of the suspects in the case were arrested on Friday, (30 July) whereas Motau and five others were nabbed on Monday morning (2 August), mere hours before they would appear as a group before the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court. 

Spokesperson for the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation a.k.a the Hawks,  Christopher Singo, says the accused who are each facing fraud, forgery, money laundering and corruption charges have all been released out on bail by the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court, of R 2000 and R 5000 respectively.  

They group is made up of government employees:  Motsumi Krisjan Polori (46), Sarah Kenosi Legobate (44) David Motau (54), Sarah Kenosi Legobate(44) , Mietje Johns (61),  Limakatso Catharine Mabitle (62), Hillary Colleen Kala (56), John Motsemme Chakane (65) and company directors: John Tsietsi Polori  (50), Thabo Moeti (39), Mavuso Victor Kwababa (49), Simon Njonga (40) , Lebohang Beqezi (37) and Mmalefa Charity Moloi (39). 

According to Singo it’s alleged the implicated company directors submitted falsified invoices to the department for services that are not known to have been rendered between 2011 and 2015.  The case has been postponed to 22 September 2021.

The arrests come nearly two years after the Hawks raided the Provincial Health Department’s headquarters in Bloemfontein. 

READ: Hawks raid at FS Health involves over R200 million's allegations

Very little was said at the time about the ongoing investigation by the hawks, except that the raid pertained to alleged tender fraud to the tune of R 240 million. Several documents and laptops were seized at the time but no arrests were made. It is yet to be confirmed if Friday’s arrests are in relation to the aforementioned raid in 2019.

OFM News