Pretoria - An MTN IT security expert, along with a director of another IT solutions company, have been arrested and released on bail in connection with the R130 million fraud case at Cell C.
Investigators are satisfied that all the suspects have now been rounded up after two more suspects appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, police said on Thursday.
Iceberg Technology Solution (Pty) Ltd director Robert Stephen Holloway, 70, and MTN IT security manager Christopher Marrian, 43, were charged for their role in the massive fraud, which involved inflating costs on invoices when billing Cell C.
The court granted the two men charged with fraud and money laundering, bail of R10 000 and R30 000 respectively.
Iceberg Technology Solution (Pty) Ltd rendered IT and network services for Cell C between 2010 and 2017 during which the company allegedly colluded to inflate prices.
Allegations are that Holloway’s company transferred about R14.5 million of the money allegedly stolen from Cell C into the bank account of Techno Genius in the same period.
In addition to fraud, Holloway faces charges of money laundering.
Marrian was employed by Cell C as an IT Security Manager between 2003 and 2013 and now employed by MTN for the same position.
Investigations allegedly revealed that Marrian received about R3m from two transactions into his bank account as proceeds of crime from Techno Genius owned by Adriaan Pillay.
Adriaan Pillay, his wife Michelle Pillay, 37; Khatiya Patel, 42; her husband Mohamed Ismail Adamjee, 44; Manuel Reimaldo Teixeira, 62; Lufuno Lesly Nevhutalu, 59; and Hilel January, 45, have all been charged for their alleged part in the fraud.
When Khatiya Patel appeared in court last week it was alleged that she colluded and inflated rates for the IT and network services rendered to Cell C while working as an administrator at Techno Genius.
Fraud accused Michelle Pillay is said to have received about R3m from the proceeds of the crime. The money was allegedly paid into her bank account.
On Monday this week, another accused in the matter, Hilel January, appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on charges of fraud and money laundering.
January is accused of involvement in the fraud in which Cell C’s money was allegedly stolen using inflated invoices from IT and network service providers, Redefine Technology, Cornerstone & Blue Kit IT, and Techno Genius between 2012 and 2019.
All the accused have been granted bail of varying amounts up to R50 000.
Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu said the appearance of the two accused in court “finally completed the web on Cell C’s missing millions” allegedly stolen by former employees and service providers.
All nine accused are due to be back in court next week Wednesday, February 16. | IOL