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A 32-YEAR-old accused, Simangele Sangweni, appeared briefly before the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, facing multiple charges including fraud, forgery, uttering and money laundering.
Sangweni was arrested by members of the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, on Monday.
According to Warrant Officer Nomthandazo Mnisi, the spokesperson for the Hawks in the Northern Cape, Sangweni allegedly defrauded two municipalities out of nearly R1 million by submitting fraudulent documents.
“In August 2021, the accused submitted a fraudulent change of banking details letter and invoices to Phokwane Municipality, Hartswater, while purporting to be Vaalharts Water, a service provider of the municipality. The accused misrepresented themselves and misled the municipality into paying an amount of R455,510.51 into the business account of the accused,” said Mnisi.
“Furthermore, in September 2021, the accused 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 into the accused’s business account.”
Mnisi said that the case has been postponed to Tuesday, August 13, for a formal bail application. Sangweni remains in custody.