NC Man Due In Court For Defraudng 2 Families Out Of Covid-19 Food Parcels

A Northern Cape man is expected to appear in the Jan Kempdorp magistrates court on Tuesday morning for defrauding two families out of COVID-19 food parcels.

The 33-year-old suspect was nabbed during an operation by the Hawks last week.

Hawks detectives launched an investigation after receiving information about two families who were tricked into signing for food parcels after being promised that the groceries would be delivered at a later stage. The delivery, however, never took place.

Officers found the parcels, valued at about R900 each, were being redirected to the wrong households.

Hunger and desperation have resulted in an increase in food parcel fraud incidents and the looting of food delivery trucks and supermarkets as the poor and unemployed struggle to feed their families during the lockdown.

EWN