SIU welcomes sentencing of Ntsebeng Mjoji who was found guilty of money laundering

JOHANNESBURG - The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has welcomed the sentencing of a woman and her company, who were found guilty of fraud and money laundering in connection with the COVID-19 temporary employee relief scheme, in the Free State.

Ntsebeng Mjoji and her company, Aqua Land and Swimming Services, were slapped with a fine of more than R1 million for theft, alternatively four years' imprisonment by the Phuthaditjhaba Magistrates' Court.

For a money laundering conviction, she was handed a five-year prison sentence, wholly suspended for five years, while her company has been ordered to pay a fine of R200,000 for theft and a further R200,000 for money laundering.

The sentencing follows the SIU's investigation, which uncovered that in 2020, Ntsebeng Moji's company lodged fraudulent COVID-19 temporary relief scheme applications with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) on behalf of 16 people who were not employees.

Spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said, "The UIF subsequently paid R178,128 into Aqua Land's business account. In line with the SIU Act, evidence pointing to criminal conduct must be referred to the NPA."

The evidence was referred to the NPA, and it formed the basis for her arrest by the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation in February this year.

Upon interviewing one of the alleged employees, the SIU confirmed that the person had never been employed by Aqua Land and had never received any payments from the company.

The SIU has welcomed the sentencing, adding that this is the positive result of implementing the outcomes of its investigations and ensuring consequence management.