Pretoria - The Portfolio Committee on Telecommunications and Postal Services has applauded the South Gauteng High Court for sentencing nine people to a combined effective jail term of 280 years in a case involving fraud.
“The sentence was in line with Section 195 (1) (a) of the Constitution, which says public administration ought to promote and maintain a high standard of professional ethics,” Committee Chairperson Mmamoloko Kubayi said on Tuesday.
The sentence comes after a joint operation by the South African Post Office’s (SAPO) Forensic Investigation Unit and the South African Police Service (SAPS) investigated nine people for defrauding the Post Bank.
An investigation into the syndicate was launched in June 2011 after the Forensic Investigation Unit of the SAPO received information of a suspected criminal syndicate targeting Postbank’s accounts that held large sums of money.
It was later discovered that seven offenders, who are former employees of the SAPO, colluded with two non-employees to defraud Postbank, a division of the Post Office.
The sentences were handed down by the South Gauteng High Court to nine people on charges of racketeering, theft, fraud, money laundering, forgery, corruption and attempted escape.
“We applaud government’s effort in eradicating crime, especially efforts by the SAPO, SAPS and the courts,” Kubayi said.
She said the committee would appeal to the SAPO management to ensure stringent recruitment processes in order to discard corrupt employees and ensure that similar syndicate did not recur. – SAnews.gov.za
