The trial of two former employees of the Department of Labour’s (DoL) Compensation Fund (CF) allegedly accused of defrauding the state millions of rands is to resume in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on May 21.

Maxwell Ramaphosa (36) and Samuel Mfeleng (36) – both from Soshanguve, Pretoria face 15 counts of fraud and 26 counts of money laundering. The duo is out on a bail of R3000. Their matter was halted on May 11 after the prosecutor Margaret Thulare fell ill.

Ramaphosa and Mfeleng are alleged to have worked in collaboration with Jurry Sehunoe, a physiotherapist from Rustenburg in North West. They are accused of siphoning money from the DoL’s Compensation Fund and channeling it into Sehunoe’s accounts.

Ramaphosa and Mfeleng would allegedly process fictitious claims made by Sehunoe, process payments and later share the laundered money. It is alleged that between February 2009 and November 2009 the two former civil servants made 15 deposits into the account of Sehunoe.

Sehunoe has since pleaded guilty and his Court proceedings in mitigation of sentence are to start on July 3 at the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crime Court. And in a separation of trial the matter involving Ramaphosa and Mfeleng was transferred to the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.

Ramaphosa and Mfeleng are accused of processing and approving claims made by Sehunoe for services not rendered. They are alleged to have, between February 2009 and November 2009, made 15 deposits into the account of Sehunoe.

The two former public servants are also entrapped in two other alleged fraud cases. In one case they are part of a group of seven former employees including a Doctor accused of defrauding the DoL’s CF about R1-million.

In the other case they are part of a quartet including a physiotherapist accused of allegedly defrauding the Department about half-a-million rand. In both these cases the accused are out on a warning.

Meanwhile, the trial of Doctor Tebogo Ephraim Kealetsa (36) operating from Pampierstad Haitswater in the Northern Cape also alleged to have defrauded the Department of Labour’s Compensation Fund is to proceed in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crime Court on May 22.

The case was postponed on February 27 after Kealetsa told the Court he had managed to secure funds to proceed, after he had earlier pleaded that he was bankrupt.

Kealetsa’s is out on a bail of R5000 bail. He is facing two counts of fraud. Kealetsa is alleged to have defrauded the DoL’s Compensation Fund of about R680 000. He is alleged to have defrauded the Fund, by submitting claim forms for patients whom he never treated.

The Compensation Fund is a public entity of the Department of Labour whose function is to cover for compensation of workers injured during work or diseases sustained or contracted as such.

Issued by Department of Labour

Departmental Spokesman
Page Boikanyo (Mr)