Durban — A suspect wanted for fraud and money laundering among other charges in the Northern Cape was arrested in KwaZulu-Natal.
Northern Cape Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Nomthandazo Mnisi said the accused has already appeared in court.
Simangele Sangweni, 32, briefly appeared in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday facing allegations of fraud, alternative theft, forgery and uttering and money laundering.
“Sangweni was arrested on Monday, August 5, at Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal by members of Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation,” Mnisi said.
It is alleged that in August 2021, Sangweni submitted a fraudulent change of banking details letter and invoices to Phokwane Local Municipality, Hartswater while purporting to be Vaalharts Water, a service provider of the municipality. Sangweni misrepresented themselves and misled the municipality into paying an amount of R455 510.51 to the business account of the accused.
Then in September 2021, Sangweni submitted a fraudulent change of banking details letter and invoices to Frances Baard District Municipality while purporting to be Sedibeng Water, a service provider of the municipality. The municipality was misled and changed the banking details and made a payment of R469 918.16 to the accused business account.
“The case is postponed to Tuesday, August 13, for a formal bail application,” Mnisi said.
“Sangweni remains in custody.”
In an unrelated matter, last month the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sentenced Sivalingam Naidoo, 51, for fraud and money laundering.
KZN Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Sibu Ncane said between July 2015 and October 2016, Naidoo was employed as a property administrator by the owner of Phoenix Cash and Carry, who also owns and operates several other business properties in the greater Durban area. Naidoo’s duties were to handle all administration concerning rentals for the corporation. The owner thought his property rentals were fine until he found irregularities in the bank accounts.
Ncane said Naidoo had transferred R1 150 000 into his account. The transaction alerted the employer, who then began to question his tenants about payments of rent and they informed him that Naidoo had told them he would be collecting cash as rent. The owner later discovered Naidoo had defrauded his company a total amount of R5 873 125.50.
Naidoo was arrested in 2017 and appeared in court several times until he was convicted and sentenced.
Naidoo was found guilty on 344 counts of fraud and sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment. He was further found guilty on two counts of money laundering and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.
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