Second suspect held over missing WSU student funds
A second person appeared in the Mthatha commercial crimes court on Monday in connection with the more than R1.6m missing in student allowances from the Walter Sisulu University’s Mthatha campus.
The alleged fraud took place between 2016 and this year.
School clerk Nolufefe Sibulele Matera, 41, made her first court appearance after being arrested by the commercial crimes unit on Friday morning.
On Monday, she joined her co-accused and brother Siyambonga Mhlakaza, 34, in the dock. Their case was postponed to Thursday for a bail application, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said.
Matera works at Bhacela Primary School in Xhora village (formerly Elliotdale), south of Mthatha.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Thembinkosi Kinana confirmed on Monday that Matera would face charges of fraud and money laundering. He said that, as Mhlakaza’s sister, it was believed her bank accounts had been used to defraud the university.
On Monday, NPA regional spokesperson Luxolo Tyali confirmed that Matera, like Mhlakaza, had been charged with 15 counts of fraud and corruption relating to a diversion of funds meant to assist struggling students at the university.
WSU last week confirmed that their systems had been hacked.
University insiders said more arrests were imminent.
Mhlakaza was arrested in Xhora more than a week ago and remains in police custody ahead of his bail application.
Some of the funds allegedly siphoned off include money from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme and an alleged R1.2m allocation donated by billionaire Patrice Motsepe’s foundation.
Neither sibling is employed by the university, but they are believed to have worked closely with someone from the institution who has yet to be identified or arrested.
Tyali said last week: “The amount involved so far is R1.6m and is expected to increase as more charges could soon be added.”