Woman seeks to appeal sentence for fraudulently benefitting from SASSA grants while listed as director of son's company
Devi Sigamoney's been sentenced to an effective 10 years behind bars for receiving grant money from SASSA to the tune of R123,000 over five years, while her company scored R88 million in SAPS tenders.
Devi Sigamoney was sentenced in the Pretoria North Magistrates Court after being convicted of perjury, fraud and theft. Picture credit: Kgomotso Modise/Eyewitness News
JOHANNESBURG - A 69-year-old woman is facing a 10-year prison sentence after she was listed as a director in her son’s company, which received millions from a dodgy South African Police Service (SAPS) tender.
Eyewitness News has learned that Devi Sigamoney has been sentenced in the Pretoria North High Court for fraudulently benefitting from South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grants while being a director of a company that scored millions in tenders from the police department.
She approached the Pretoria North Court with an application for leave to appeal her sentence.
The mood was sombre in the courtroom when a visibly emotional Sigamoney walked in and out of the dock in leg irons.
She’s been sentenced to an effective 10 years behind bars for receiving grant money from SASSA to the tune of R123,000 over five years, while her company scored R88 million in SAPS tenders.
While Sigamoney was listed as director, it's her son, Matthew Pillay, and two others said to have been doing business with the state, who are now being investigated for tender fraud.
The Investigating Directorate’s Henry Mamothame said Pillay and his business partners were also being investigated for further crimes.
"Her son and two other accused are charged for trying to bribe investigators, wherein an investigation was conducted into an alleged corruption within the SAPS wherein their company was involved."
Sigamoney’s bid for leave to appeal her sentence will be heard next week.
For now, she remains behind bars.