A 40-year-old woman has been arrested after she deliberately and unlawfully claimed funds intended for the children
The woman was arrested following an intensive Hawks investigation into alleged fraudulent activities.A 40-year-old woman has been arrested after she deliberately and unlawfully claimed funds intended for her deceased brother’s children.
Nomvo Yako was handcuffed by the Mthatha Serious Corruption Crime Investigation of the Hawks this week.Yako was arrested following an intensive Hawks investigation into alleged fraudulent activities linked to the administration of a deceased estate. According to the Hawks, Yako allegedly unlawfully applied for a Letter of Authority at the Master of the High Court in Mthatha, during which she deliberately misrepresented material facts. “Yako allegedly concealed the existence of the deceased’s children and falsely certified that the deceased had no dependants, despite knowing otherwise, with the intention of unlawfully benefitting from the estate,” said Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Avele Fumba.”Hawks investigations revealed that after obtaining the Letter of Authority, the suspect allegedly submitted a claim to the Government Employees Pension Fund . As a result, an amount of R599 000.71, together with interest of R76 996.33, was paid into an estate bank account.”Fumba said further investigations uncovered that the suspect also allegedly claimed leave gratuity benefits, resulting in an additional payment of R32 998.94 being deposited into her personal bank account. “The total amount allegedly received exceeds R700 000, funds that were legally due to the deceased’s children.”Yako appeared before the Mthatha Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 22 January 2026, on charges of fraud.Lack of law enforcement has brought ‘scholar transport service to its knees’, Creecy says Fumba said she was granted bail of R2 000, and the matter was postponed to 25 February 2026 for further investigation. “The provincial head of the Hawks in the Eastern Cape, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, reiterated that the Hawks will not tolerate the manipulation of estate and pension systems for personal gain, particularly where vulnerable beneficiaries are exploited.”
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Woman Arrested for Fraudulently Claiming Deceased Brother’s FundsA 40-year-old woman, Nomvo Yako, was arrested by the Hawks for allegedly defrauding funds intended for her deceased brother’s children. She misrepresented facts to obtain a Letter of Authority and subsequently claimed over R700,000 from the Government Employees Pension Fund and leave gratuity benefits. Yako has been granted bail and the case has been postponed for further investigation.
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Woman Arrested for Fraudulently Claiming Funds Intended for Deceased Brother’s ChildrenA 40-year-old woman, Nomvo Yako, was arrested by the Hawks for allegedly fraudulently claiming over R700,000 intended for her deceased brother’s children. She allegedly misrepresented facts to obtain a Letter of Authority, concealed the existence of the children, and claimed benefits from the Government Employees Pension Fund and leave gratuity. She was granted bail and the case was postponed.
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