Two directors of an engineering company have been arrested for allegedly defrauding the COVID-19 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) of R648 000.<\/P>
The Pusoloso Engineering Services duo have had their bank accounts frozen and a forfeiture process is currently underway to recover the money allegedly stolen.<\/P>
Between August 2020 and March 2021, the two suspects are alleged to have deceitfully applied for COVID-19 TERS benefits for 95 people who were not their employees, without their knowledge and consent.<\/P>
In a statement on Wednesday, the Department of Employment and Labour said the company directors subsequently received R648 915.<\/P>
The department\u2019s Risk Management officials in Gauteng started an investigation after some employees applied for normal unemployment benefits, but their ID numbers revealed that they were included in a COVID-19 TERS application by the two directors.<\/P>
A fraud case was opened and joint investigations by the Risk Management officials and the police led to the arrest of the suspects on 11 April 2022 in Berea, Gauteng.<\/P>
The two have been granted bail in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court and the matter has been postponed to 3 June 2022.<\/P>
Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Commissioner, Teboho Maruping, applauded the Risk Management officials and police for their collaborative efforts in apprehending the suspects.<\/P>
\u201cThe net is seriously closing in on fraudsters and I hope these latest arrests serve as a strong message and warning to other would-be fraudsters. Two weeks ago, another suspect was arrested in KwaZulu-Natal for allegedly defrauding the UIF of R1 million and I am truly grateful to our Risk Management officials and law enforcement agencies for their great work in bringing these and other suspects to justice,” Maruping said.<\/P>
According to the department, at least 22 suspects have been arrested for COVID-19 TERS related fraud and more arrests are imminent.<\/P>
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Source: South African Government News Agency<\/P>
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