Former Wits University employee allegedly stole millions

A former University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) employee has been accused of defrauding the institution of millions of rand through fraudulent invoices for services that were never rendered.

John Dikobe‚ 38‚ appeared briefly in court on Tuesday before the case was postponed to May 4 to allow the prosecution to gather more information.

Dikobe faces 30 counts of fraud equating to more than R3.4-million in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court.

He was employed as a bookkeeper at the Wartenweiler Library on the university's main campus in Braamfontein‚ Johannesburg.

Over a period of four years‚ Dikobe allegedly fraudulently submitted invoices and was remunerated for services his company never rendered.

The police were alerted when inconsistencies were discovered with invoices for his company submitted to the university’s procurement department.

Dikobe was arrested and charged in December 2015.

He has said he will plead not guilty to all charges and his lawyers said he is being made a scapegoat to hide the university’s incompetence and maladministration.

Wits University spokeswoman Shirona Patel said the university could not comment on these claims as the matter was before the courts.

Patel said Dikobe was fired from the institution after the financial system implicated him.

Dikobe is currently out on bail.