An Eastern Cape police official and an alleged accomplice appeared in the East London Magistrates Court on Wednesday for their alleged attempt to defraud the Road Accident Fund (RAF).
Hawks spokesperson Captain Yolisa Mgolodela says 50-year-old Warrant Officer Mandlenkosi Njekanye and 45-year-old Xolani Somtsewu are accused of trying to claim for an accident by changing the report that would have prejudiced the RAF to a cash value of nearly R5 million.
She says Somtsewu was the driver of a Nissan NP300 bakkie that was involved in a fatal accident on 31 December 2020 on the N2 Highway in Komga, East London.
Mgolodela says his passenger was killed in the accident while he sustained a broken arm and a few cuts and bruises.
She says WO Njekanye, who responded to the accident scene, attributed the accident to a tyre burst and opened an inquest docket.
Almost a year after the accident, according to the Hawks, the two accused went to the Komga Police station where they instructed to officer on duty to change to accident report to enable them to claim from RAF.
Mgolodela says the official initially refused but was ultimately coerced and the cause of the accident was changed to Somtsewu's new version where he claimed to have swerved out to avoid an oncoming vehicle.
She says when the complaint was lodged, RAF scrutinised the two statements and discovered the discrepancies.
The duo was arrested and charged on Wednesday and released on bail of R500 each.
The matter was postponed to 6 December 2023.
