THE Justice Department is investigating claims that the police “untouchable” unit, the Scorpions spent hundreds of thousands of rands on luxury homes and office space without authorization. A local newspaper reported that Scorpions chief Frank Dutton and the deputy prosecutions head Percy Sonn, were being investigated for buying luxury homes and furnishing them with public money. Sonn is Bulelani Ngcuka’s deputy in the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions, which in turn runs the Scorpions. According to a Justice Department official, in terms of public service rules, state officials who are deployed in major urban areas are not entitled to subsidised accommodation. The Justice Department is also to investigate an incident were the Scorpions rented an office building in the Pretoria suburb of Silverton without proper clearance from the Department of Public Works. The department has refused to pay the rent on the building for the last six months, resulting in the Scorpions now owing the Promat building owner R186000. The Justice Department also revealed it is investigating fraud charges against a member of the Scorpions.