Johannesburg - An IT specialist was arrested in Pretoria on Wednesday for allegedly defrauding the labour department of R1.2m.
Department
spokesman Page Boikanyo said Kenneth Mahuluhulu had been on the run for
two years after allegedly embezzling funds from the department's
compensation fund.
"He is alleged to have made or facilitated
more than five fictitious claims, working in collaboration with a
syndicate involving a former employee of the (department's) compensation
fund," said Boikanyo.
The fund acts as insurance for workers injured in the line of duty. The bogus claims were made between 2006 and 2009.
Police arrested Mahuluhulu at the University of SA, where he was now employed.
He appeared in the Pretoria Commercial Court on a charge of fraud and was denied bail.
The
prosecution argued that he be kept in custody until his residence was
verified, and whether he had other criminal convictions.
It was not known when he would appear in court again.
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