POLICE officers from the Durban Commercial Crime Unit arrested two suspects in the Durban central business district for fraud to the value of R8.1 million, last week.
According to Colonel Jay Naicker from SAPS communications, a 24-year-old woman had approached a bank seeking a business loan of R15 million. She claimed to have secured a contract from a major cellphone network provider to open and operate a call centre.
“She was informed by the bank that she qualified for only R 8.1 million, however when she submitted the contract to the bank and it was was perused, a few concerns were spotted,” said Naicker.
The bank approached the Durban Commercial Crime Unit who began their investigation and found that the suspect had supplied the bank with false documents. One of her suppliers was in fact her brother who did not have any experience in setting up call centres.
“The investigators verified the authenticity of the contract and it was confirmed by the service provider that they did not issue any call centre contract to the suspect. Both suspects were called in to sign their contract and as soon as they signed the documents members of the Hawks pounced on them and placed them under arrest,” said Naicker.
They were charged for fraud and appeared in the Durban Commercial Crime Court where they were granted R3000 bail each and the case was postponed to 5 June.
The KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lt Gen Mmamonnye Ngobeni congratulated members of the Commercial Crime Unit for the arrest.
“We view white collar crime in a very serious light. Anyone who attempts to defraud others of their hard earned cash will face the full might of the law,” she said.
