Pretoria - Two fraud suspects, Michelle Pillay and Khatiya Patel, appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday facing charges of fraud in which Cell C lost more than R130 million.
“It is alleged that between 2012 and 2019, Techno Genius director Adriaan Pillay, 38, and his business partner, Mohamed Ismail Adamjee, 44, who was a Cell C executive, colluded and inflated rates for IT and network services required by Cell C which resulted in an actual loss of over R130m,” said Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu.
Further investigations revealed that Patel, 42, allegedly colluded and inflated rates for the IT and network services rendered to Cell C while working as an administrator at Techno Genius during the same period.
Michelle Pillay, 37, is said to have received about R3m from the proceeds of the alleged crime. The money was allegedly paid into her bank account.
The Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation in Johannesburg traced Michelle Pillay and found her at her Sandton residence on Tuesday and arrested her.
Meanwhile, Patel handed herself over to the police on Wednesday morning. She was accompanied by her legal representative.
Two suspects, Michelle Pillay (37) -left-
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) February 2, 2022
and Khatiya Patel (42) appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court today facing charges of fraud and money laundering. pic.twitter.com/uBNuEO72et
Both women were granted bail of R30 000 each.
Their case was postponed to February 16 for docket disclosure and will be joined to that of their husbands, Adriaan Pillay and Mohamed Ismail Adamjee.
It’s alleged that Adamjee orchestrated the theft which drained the cellphone network operator of millions of rand since 2012.
The other co-accused, Manuel Reimaldo Teixeira, 62, and Lufuno Lesly Nevhutalu, 59, will also appear on that date.
Teixeira and Nevhutalu were arrested early last year on a similar fraud case involving Cornerstone & Blue Kit IT.
They are out on R50 000 bail each.
Authorities said their investigations were continuing and more arrests could not be ruled out.
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