Fidelis Moema’s mother joins suspects’ list in KPMG fraud case
Dikeledi Moema, mother of primary suspect Fidelis Moema, was added to the list of suspects accused of defrauding KPMG.
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Dikeledi Moema, mother of primary suspect Fidelis Moema, has been added to the list of individuals accused of defrauding KPMG of over R16.5 million. The 66-year-old is alleged to have played a significant role in the misdirection of funds that were meant for university bursaries, according to POWER987News.
SowetanLIVE reported that Moema, a former chief director in the presidency, appeared in the Palm Ridge magistrate’s court in Ekurhuleni yesterday. The state alleges her account was used by her son, Fidelis, to siphon funds intended for needy students from KPMG’s bursary scheme.
Details of the KPMG bursary fraudulent scheme
According to a statement from the South African Police Service (SAPS), former KPMG bursary specialist, Moema orchestrated a scheme where funds intended for student bursaries were misappropriated.
“Instead of paying university fees on behalf of students, the accused would pay the money into the bank accounts belonging to friends and individuals who own companies. The money would then be paid back into his personal bank account,” the SAPS disclosed.
Furthermore, this fraudulent activity, occurring between 2021 and 2022, resulted in a significant financial loss for the audit firm, amounting to R16.5 million.
The state claims that his mother also profited from the scheme, with money allegedly deposited into her bank account. She, along with Trevor Machimana and Tshwane metro police officer Lebogang Sigubudu, are now co-accused. The charges against them exceed 400, encompassing fraud and money laundering, according to SowetanLIVE.
Legal proceedings and court appearances
According to The Citizen, former KPMG bursary specialist, Moema, and his co-accused, Sigubudu and Machimana, have already appeared in court. Their recent appearance at the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court marked another step in the ongoing legal process.
During a prior hearing in April, each suspect was granted bail set at R50 000.
Additionally, former KPMG bursary specialist’s mother was granted bail of R25 000 on Tuesday. She and the three other accused are scheduled to return to court next month, according to SowetanLIVE.