An Eastern Cape man has been arrested in connection with an attempt to defraud the Road Accident Fund of R10 million.
Malibongwe Ntsentselele, 51, was arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) on Thursday.
He appeared before the Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crime Court, where he was granted bail of R1,000.
Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said the alleged scheme centred on a Road Accident Fund claim in which Ntsentselele purported to have suffered serious bodily injuries after falling from a moving motor vehicle on December 30, 2019, at Hluleka, near Ngqeleni in the Eastern Cape, where he claimed to have been a passenger at the time.
“The investigation revealed what is believed to have been a deliberate and calculated attempt to unlawfully enrich oneself through the exploitation of a statutory compensation system established to provide relief to genuine victims of road accidents,” Mhlakuvana said.
The RAF identified several red flags during its assessment of the claim and subsequently repudiated it before referring the matter to the Hawks for further investigation.
Investigators established that the fund could have suffered a potential financial loss of approximately R10 million, funds described as being intended for legitimate claimants.
The case took a further turn when, on January 29, 2026, Ntsentselele allegedly appeared in court proceedings and provided false testimony under oath in support of the disputed claim.
After being duly sworn in, he reportedly testified that he had fallen from a moving truck on 30 December 2019.
“This version of events was later disproved by evidence gathered during the investigation,” said Mhlakuvana.
“The alleged false testimony was intended not only to advance a fraudulent claim but also had the potential to mislead the court and undermine public confidence in the justice system.”
He also faces charged of perjury.
The case was postponed to June 25, 2026 for docket contents.
