Family in court for fraud and theft
The main accused, Carol Ann Avent (46), who was employed at Transco CC in Nelspruit, was arrested in 2016 and charged with 1 150 counts of fraud.
Four people appeared in the Nelpruit Magistrate’s Court last week for their alleged involvement in theft and fraud amounting to R11,5 million, for which a Nelspruit bookkeeper was arrested in 2016.
Lucy Andrea du Preez (50), John Avent (53), Piet Albertus Meintjies (36) and Maria Antoinette le Roux (49) appeared in court on Friday for allegedly receiving stolen money into their personal bank accounts. They were released on bail of R3 000 each.
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Carol Ann Avent (46), who was employed at Transco CC in Nelspruit, was arrested in 2016 and charged with 1 150 counts of fraud.
She was founded guilty on all charges after she entered a guilty plea, but has not been sentenced yet.
She was released on bail of R5 000.
“The other four suspects were charged last Friday for allegedly receiving the stolen money into their personal bank accounts,” said Hawks spokesman, Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi.
“After the main suspect was arrested, an investigation into the bank statements of the four accused showed that they received the money,” she explained.
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She said they were arrested by members of the Mpumalanga Serious Corruption Investigation Unit on Thursday.
Sekgotodi said the case was postponed to November 5, when they will be joined in the dock by Carol Ann Avent.
“We are also expecting to add another suspect, who also allegedly received stolen money,” she said.
Sekgotodi said the co-accused are related to the main accused. “They are brothers and sisters. When Carol Ann Avent (46) was employed as a bookkeeper at Transco CC, she allegedly created false beneficiaries and paid money from the company account into the different accounts of her family members between 2010 and 2016 to the amount of R11,5 million,” said Sekgotodi.
Sekgotodi said the arrest followed an investigation after a complaint was reported to the police about suspension (from Transco CC).
“Carol appeared in the Nelspruit Regional Court for the submission of a confiscating order by the advocate and the case was postponed to November 5 for a specialised prosecutor.
Transco CC did not want to comment on the matter.
