News24 reports that an Eastern Cape government official is set to appear in court for allegedly misappropriating R150,000 from his department through a fuel fraud scheme.

The 39-year-old, an office manager at the Eastern Cape Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in the Chris Hani district, is alleged to have misused the department's fuel card between April 2022 and August 2022. Lieutenant-Colonel Avele Fumba said the alleged fraud was flagged by the department's assistant director of security management and anti-corruption services, who reportedly acted on a complaint regarding suspected misuse of fuel for a departmental vehicle. During a probe, the Hawks discovered that between April 2022 and August 2022 discrepancies were identified between the kilometres travelled and the fuel consumption of the vehicle. Investigations revealed that the official allegedly used the department-issued fleet card to refuel the designated vehicle at a petrol station but would then refuel another vehicle using the same card. The accused will make his first appearance on 31 January.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sithandiwe Velaphi at News24 (subscription or trial registration required)

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