Dr Tumi and wife in hot water for allegedly defrauding National Lotteries Board
The Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation unit in Johannesburg arrested the famous couple on Tuesday on allegations of fraud involving approximately R1.5 million.
PRETORIA, April 7 (ANA) – Prominent South African gospel musician and medical doctor, Dr Tumi and his wife have been released on bail after they appeared in court on Tuesday on charges of defrauding the National Lotteries Board, The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) said.
The Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation team in Johannesburg arrested the musician, aged 39, and his 36-year-old wife on Tuesday on the charges involving approximately R1.5 million (US$103,119), Hawks spokeswoman in Gauteng province Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu said in a statement.
The musician and doctor, whose real name is Dr Tumisang Victor Makweya and his wife Kgaogelo Sara Makweya were listed as committee members at a non-profit organisation and allegedly submitted altered grant application documents to the National Lotteries Board for approval of funds to finance projects in 2018.
Further investigations revealed that the couple and their co-accused Christopher Tshivule and Thomas Ndadza submitted the documents to the National Lotteries Commission in September 2018, resulting in over R1.5 million being transferred into a private bank account. Tshivule and Ndadza are out on R5,000 bail each.
“(Dr Tumi and wife) allegedly benefited approximately R760,000 from the funds. They handed themselves in at the (Hawks) Johannesburg office escorted by their attorney and were subsequently charged for fraud,” said Mulamu.
The Palm Ridge specialised commercial crimes court released the couple on R3,000 bail each and the case was postponed to May 7.
– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa
