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. 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 (GEPF). 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. 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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