Pretoria - Four company directors aged 35, 36, 46 and 64 were summoned by the Gqeberha Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit to appear in the Gqeberha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on allegations of fraud.
The four directors allegedly claimed R1.2 million from Keypack (Pty) Ltd in Gqeberha for services not rendered.
Hawks spokesperson Captain Yolisa Mgolodela said the incident dates back to April 20, 2018, until April 26, 2018, when a credit controller from Keypack received emails purported to be from the managers of Keypack (Pty) Ltd where the complainant was employed.
“The credit controller reportedly paid the emailed claims believing to be the instruction from her employers that is Keypack (Pty) Ltd. On balancing the books, Keypack identified the discrepancies and a complaint was lodged with the Gqeberha Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team.
“Investigations by the Hawks ensued. Keypack (Pty) Ltd was discovered to have been defrauded cash to the value of more than R1.2m from fraudulent payment instructions,” said Mgolodela.
Mgolodela said the suspects were served summons on July 7, 2022, to make their first court appearance in the Gqeberha Specialised Crime Court on July 29.
In a similar matter, the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, sitting in Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court, sentenced 46-year-old Christopher Tshivule to eight years’ imprisonment after he was found guilty of defrauding the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) of more than R1.5m.
Tshivule hijacked a non-profit organisation (NPO) called “The Message” and used its documents to swindle the NLC, according to Phindi Mjonondwane, Gauteng regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
According to the grant application form, Tshivule misrepresented himself as the chairperson of the NPO and applied for funding in the amount of R3m for the mobilisation and organising of a traditional arts festival, among other things.
“On October 8, 2018, on the strength of the NPO’s certificate and fraudulent grant application form, funding worth R1.575 million was granted,” Mjonondwane said.
IOL