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COP STEALS E414 000 FINES, DIES

10/04/2019 01:17:00 BY SIBONGILE SUKATI

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MBABANE – Down the drain! Government will not recover about E414 000, which was allegedly stolen by a police officer because she has since died.

The death of the female police officer was revealed by acting National Commissioner William Dlamini, during the department’s appearance before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Prior to her death, the officer had been fired from the police service in August 2016, but she had somehow managed to withdraw her pension money before government could recover the over E400 000.

Dlamini informed the PAC that at the time they went to the Public Service Pension Fund (PSPF), they found that the money was long gone yet she was supposed to forfeit it.

Hearing

“At the time we were still processing the disciplinary hearing, the officer got one of her colleagues to sign for her a letter stating that she was leaving the police service and therefore the money was released to her,” said Dlamini.
He informed the PAC that they then sought the assistance of the attorney general (AG), who advised that they must compile an inventory of the late officer’s property.

Dlamini said they had also engaged the officer and she was assisting them with compiling a list of her assets. “However, to be honest, we discovered that she did not have much and we went to her parental home at Sidwashini and found that she had a single parent and did not have much property except for a bed and other items,” said Dlamini.

Pension

He revealed that even the little money that she had gained from the pension fund was blown by the officer in no time.
He said the officer later fell sick and eventually died, and that they were still engaging her family to try and recover the money.
However, when Dlamini made his remarks, it was clear that they had seemingly lost any hope of recovering the money because the officer had literally left nothing when she died.

According to the auditor general, records revealed that revenue which had been collected from 87 general receipt books between 2011 and 2015, was not accounted for.
According to master stores records at the Revenue Office, the general receipt books were not returned and the officer implicated, allegedly, confessed to have destroyed the receipt books.

The officer had been based at Siphofaneni Police Station.
The controlling officer informed the PAC that disciplinary proceedings were instituted against the officer and she was found guilty.
“She was subsequently fired from the police service on August 19, 2016. Her criminal trial is pending in court, and the outcome will determine the next step regarding the recovery of the E414 000 she allegedly stole,” Dlamini had stated during his previous report on the matter.

Withdrawn

Manzini Region MP Busisiwe Mavimbela wondered how an officer could have easily withdrawn the money from the pension fund without formal authorisation from the police service or the human resources manager.
Dvokodvweni MP, Mduduzi Magagula, said it was clear that the officer who had signed the letter, authorising the pension fund to release the officer’s money, had colluded with the late officer.

In response, Dlamini said they had punished the officer (who authorised the release of the pension) by giving him what was termed ‘extra work’.
The extra work, according to the acting national commissioner, was that the officer would forfeit his days off which was the type of disciplinary measure taken.

The PAC said they were not happy with the disciplinary measure taken as all they were concerned about how they could recover the money.

Punishment

Mtfongwaneni MP Roy Fanourakis said he did not believe that giving someone extra work was a form of punishment.
“I love working and I am sure the officer is happy with having more to do, we want the money and nothing else,” said MP Fanourakis.

He was supported by Ngudzeni MP Big Boy Mamba, who said all the PAC was concerned about the return of the money.
In summary, Chairperson of the PAC MP Phila Buthelezi, said they wanted proof that the officer who authorised the payment of the pension money had been punished.

“If that is not the case, the officer will have to appear before the PAC to explain what had happened because this is too much money that the government has lost,” said MP Buthelezi.

The acting national commissioner was given until the end of the week to produce the evidence of the disciplinary measures taken against the officer.
Dlamini said the officer who signed off the letter to the pension fund had the authority to stamp the letters, for example, which were usually written ‘to whom it many concern’.

Passport

He said this was done in instances, for example, where a police officer was applying for a passport or needed any other services which could be provided by any institution that the officer wanted assistance from.
The PAC said it was clear that the deceased police officer had applied some tactics to get her colleague to sign the pension fund letter.

Meanwhile, the PAC further expressed concern that two police officers, who had allegedly stolen about E41 260 from Siteki Police Station were still at work.
The acting national commissioner informed the PAC that the officers had since been transferred from the Traffic division and were carrying out other duties.
The AG had reported that revenue collected at the Siteki Police Station between December 22, 2014 and February 10, 2015, which amounted to E41 260, was not promptly brought to account.

Receipts

He further stated that there were forged amounts on some receipts amounting to E1 380.
He said internal disciplinary proceedings were instituted against the officer and he was also transferred from Siteki Police Station while criminal investigations regarding the forged receipts were pending.

The acting national commissioner said to curb such cash losses, surprise visits were now being conducted in a number of police stations around the country and that station commanders had to ensure that the money was banked on a weekly basis.

The PAC said they were not happy that the officers were still in uniform, yet it was clear that their activities were criminal.
The acting commissioner said the above cases had opened their eyes and they were now very vigilant when dealing with cases where the police officers handle money, as they ensured that the funds were banked on a weekly basis.