Southern Cape regional ANC secretary in court for fraud

African News Agency (ANA)

Southern Cape regional ANC secretary in court for fraud

ANC regional secretary for Southern Cape Major Sokopo, 42, and Ndileka Mfunda, 49, are expected to appear in the George Magistrate’s Court on Thursday facing fraud charges.

They were arrested in September. Sokopo’s arrest follows an investigation into his tax consultant company which was contracted by the Oudtshoorn, Plettenberg Bay and Ventersdorp municipalities to help recover outstanding VAT.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation – Hawks – allege the company inflated its VAT assessment figures because they were paid per successful tax recovery made. The South African Revenue Services (Sars) was defrauded of R16 million.

On October 6 the African National Congress in the Western Cape said it would ask Sokopo to explain his alleged involvement in defrauding Sars.

The Hawks said both accused face charges “relating to unclaimed Input VAT claims by several Western Cape municipalities, for the period 2009 to 2011”.

South Africa Today – South Africa News

SOURCEAfrican News Agency (ANA)