Former health employee, husband to face fraud charges in East London court

A former employee at the Eastern Cape health department and her husband are expected to appear in the East London Magistrate’s Court on Friday morning for a legal representative to be appointed to their case.

Former health system controller Anelisa Pencil Qongqo, 34, and Lulamisa Qongqo, 48, were arrested on Thursday on fraud charges.

Eastern Cape Hawks spokesperson Captain Yolisa Mgolodela said it is alleged that, on May 26 2016, two fictitious payments that did not form part of the reported accruals were made by the department of health in the Amalahleni District.

He said the payments were to a company named Mampemvu Trading Enterprises, where the username and password of the director of finance and supply chain for the department was used without his knowledge.

Other payments were allegedly made to seven companies without the appropriate approval documentation, with money deposited into these companies’ bank accounts without services being rendered, Mgolodela said.

He said Qongqo was the alleged mastermind behind the fraudulent transactions and is reported to have got the lion’s share.

“The matter was reported to the East London Serious Corruption Investigation team for probing, which culminated in the arrest of the Qongqo couple,” he said.

The couple had made a brief appearance in the East London magistrate’s court on the day of their arrest.

The case was rolled over to July 23 for legal representation to be appointed while the accused were remanded in custody. 

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