Africa-Press – South-Africa. Former SA Revenue Services (SARS) official Khutso Meloreng Hlongwane made a brief appearance in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Friday.
This after her representations to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) motivating why fraud charges against her should be dropped, were unsuccessful.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority, Hlongwane faced 52 counts of fraud worth more than R5 million.
She allegedly defrauded the tax body from July 2007 until September 2015.
During her appearance on Friday, her legal representative, advocate Mandla Mushwana, said Hlongwane had instructed him to review the decision.
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Hlongwane’s case was postponed to 19 August.
According to the charge sheet, Hlongwane, the sole director of Meloreng Holdings, furnished the tax body with VAT returns claiming input tax deductions and vat refunds.
However, upon written request by SARS for certain VAT periods, she allegedly produced documents purporting to be valid tax invoices.
SARS approved the VAT refunds and paid them into Hlongwane’s bank account.
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But the State alleged the input tax deductions, VAT refund claims as well as supporting documents were false and invalid.
It also alleged the refund payments were not solely used for the business interest of Meloreng.
According to the State, Hlongwane used the refund for personal expenses, adding her company was used as a “conduit to claim and receive VAT refunds for personal use”.
It said when Hlongwane acquired or used the refund amount, she knew or ought to have known they were or form part of the proceeds of unlawful activities.
The State further alleged the revenue services had “suffered actual of R2 691 625. 12 and potential prejudice in the amount of R2 416 070.06”.
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