COMPANY OWNERS IN COURT FOR FRAUD CASES

Photo: Lebesa Masemelane Nesta

Supplied

By: Neo Ntsele

Lebesa Masemelane Nesta 40, the director of two companies, Setumo sa Bomme Catering Service and Kelebogileana and Thapelo Alfred Lephondo 46, the director of Thabs Financial Solutions, appeared before the Phuthaditjhaba Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 11, after they were arrested for separate cases of fraud.  

It is alleged that during 2020, Nesta fraudulently made an application for a Covid-19 Temporary Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) on behalf of five individuals said to be employees of her companies.

Photo: Thapelo Alfred Lephondo

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The two companies received funds to the amount of R241 762.07 between March 2020 and October 2020.

It later became evident that the two companies never had such people in their employ or paid any salaries. 

In a separate arrest, Lephondo also claimed and received the Covid-19 benefits to the amount of about R908 287.28 on behalf of twenty individuals for the period March to October 2020.

It later surfaced that the supposed claimants never worked for his company. 

Both matters were reported to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation in Bethlehem for a further probe resulting in the arrest and court appearance of both Nesta and Lephondo. 

Lebesa Masemelane Nesta was released on R5 000 bail, whereas Thapelo Alfred Lephondo was granted R10 000 bail by the Phuthadithjaba Magistrates’ Court. They will both re-appear on 6 August 2024 on charges of fraud.