By Keiso Mohloboli
MASERU — Two men appeared in the Maseru Magistrate’s Court last Thursday for allegedly fleecing several companies of M6, 2 million between November and December 2012.
The suspects, Morai Mosoaboli, 30, and Tefo Lefata, 42, allegedly forged some companies’ documents and subsequently misrepresented that the firms owed certain illegal and non-existing organisations.
The said accused are said to have opened two bank accounts for illegally established FMC Construction and suppliers, and for Boiketlo Catering services with Nedbank.
The two accounts were opened with cash deposits of M500 each.
According to the charge sheet, FMC construction and suppliers was credited with M201, 986 from Caritas Lesotho account and M3 583 896. 48 from Excel account.
On the other hand, Boiketlo Catering services was credited with M325 242 from Excel account.
Lefata who is also known as Kamohelo Motaung as per identification documents presented to Nedbank, “is an employee of the government of Lesotho, in the Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services”.
Electronic transfers were made as Nedbank received instructions to transfer and debit large amounts of money to FMC, Boiketlo, OPC garment printers and Centurion Constructions.
Meanwhile, Excel had not engaged FMC construction and suppliers or Boiketlo catering services for any business and had not authorised any transfer of funds from any of its accounts to the said FMC and Boiketlo.
“In the same way, Caritas Lesotho had not engaged any business with Boiketlo and FMC,” charge sheet notes.
Police spokesperson Senior Inspector Lebona Mohloboli this week told the Lesotho Times four suspects were involved in the alleged scam and two of them, a 28-year-old man and 35-year-old woman, are on the run.
Mohloboli further revealed the man worked for a local bank while the woman is unemployed but is a computer expert.
“In the first transaction which took place sometime in November, the suspects managed to transfer M358 896,48 from a certain firm’s account without that company’s authorisation.
“On December 10, five more transfers amounting to M2 036 322 were also made illegally by the syndicate,” Mohloboli said.
The two suspects, Mohloboli said, are still in custody as they each failed to pay the M10 000 bail and M500 000 surety imposed by the court.
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