A senior Department of Justice and Constitutional Development official stationed at the Office of the Master of the High Court in Polokwane allegedly had a corrupt relationship with suspended attorney Charlotte Tibana, with the State accusing him of referring beneficiaries of deceased estates to her law firm in exchange for money.

The explosive allegations emerged at the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, where estate controller Gustavus Mokoana Moloto made a brief appearance alongside Tibana on gratification charges relating to alleged offences committed in 2023.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) senior prosecutor Martin Molokwane told the court that the two allegedly worked together in a corrupt arrangement in which Moloto used his position at the Master’s Office to direct beneficiaries of deceased estates to Tibana’s legal practice in return for financial gratification.

The State alleges that Moloto received R10 500 from Tibana on 27 June 2023 through a Capitec Bank account registered in his name.

According to the prosecution, the payment originated from a First National Bank account belonging to Tibana.

Molokwane further told the court that investigators would seek to establish the nature of the relationship between the two accused and whether the payment was part of a broader corrupt arrangement.

“The state alleges that accuse number one referred the clients and or beneficiaries of deceased estates to accuse number two as an attorney in exchange for money. Accuse number one is the holder and sole signatory of a Capitec Bank account as mentioned in the chart sheet into which he received an amount of R10,500 from accuse number two on the 27th June 2023. Accuse number two is the holder of a First National Bank account number as mentioned in the charge sheet from which the said amount of R10,500 was paid to the Capitec Bank account belonging to accuse number one.

“The accused acting with common intent for the furtherance of common peoples with each other and with a person or persons whose identities are to the state unknown referred clients and or as and or beneficiaries of deceased estates to accuse number one as they knew that they are in a corrupt relationship.

“The state alleges that although we may not relatively specifically prove as to what was in actual fact this gratification for but we are going to need evidence to prove that accused one and two were in a corrupt relationship,” Molokwane said.

The matter was postponed to Monday, 16 November, for further investigations and a formal bail application. Tibana has since abandoned her bail application.

R11 Million Deceased Estates Scandal

Moloto’s arrest represents another significant development in the widening investigation into the alleged looting of approximately R11 million from 15 deceased estates.

As previously reported by African Times News, the Hawks have been investigating allegations of fraud, theft and money laundering involving funds belonging to deceased persons whose estates were allegedly administered through Tibana’s legal practice.

The State alleges that Tibana, who was appointed as executor in several of the estates, unlawfully withdrew money belonging to beneficiaries before allegedly moving the proceeds through different bank accounts and business entities to conceal their origins.

The investigation has also brought under scrutiny the alleged use of company accounts, properties and luxury assets in transactions linked to the suspected proceeds of crime.

Among the assets previously highlighted in court proceedings is a Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 allegedly purchased using money linked to the deceased estates.

Five Individuals Arrested As Investigation Widens

Moloto, 53, joins suspended attorney Tibana,33, her husband and Tshwane Metro Police Department officer Peter “Gagash” Nonyane, 30, Tibana’s younger sister Rirhandzu, 30, and businessman Jabulani Maluleke, 43, among the individuals arrested in connection with the broader investigation.

Rirhandzu and Maluleke, who is the sole director of Risima Jeje Trading Enterprise, were previously granted R60 000 bail each.

Nonyane and his wife remain behind bars after their bail applications and subsequent appeal were unsuccessful.

The State’s investigation has continued to uncover alleged financial transactions and relationships that prosecutors believe may have facilitated the movement of money belonging to deceased estates.

Moloto’s appearance now brings a new dimension to the case, with the prosecution alleging that an official within the very institution responsible for overseeing deceased estates may have helped channel beneficiaries towards a private legal practice in exchange for money.

The Hawks spokesperson, Colonel Avele Fumba, said the investigation remains ongoing.

The deceased estates under investigation

The Polokwane Magistrates Court previously heard that the following estates and the amounts were allegedly involved in transactions being investigated by the State:

• Masha Estate: Approximately R650,000.
• Mathabatha Estate: Approximately R1.1 million.
• Maswanganyi Estate: Approximately R2.75 million.
• Moetji Estate: Approximately R1.38 million.
• Kobe Estate: Approximately R800,250.
• Mphahlele Estate: Approximately R4.3 million.
• Tlabile Estate: Approximately R110,000.
• Mashamaite and Shikwambana estates: Approximately R870,000 combined.
• Moroane Estate: Approximately R337,000.
• Mampuru Estate: Approximately R487,000.