Patrese Patrick Jones has been caught in Gordon’s Bay
The alleged fraudster will appear in court in Hendrina next week.
Patrese Patrick Jones (55) is behind bars.
Over the last two weeks Lowvelder has reported how the alleged fraudster was on the run from the Hawks.
He was sought for fraud, theft and money laundering, and failed to appear in court after he was released on R100 000 bail.
Information indicated that he was commuting between his hiding places in Mbombela and Gordon’s Bay.
This morning, September 7 at 10:30, the tracing team of the police tracked him down to the latter. He was arrested.
General Nico Gerber, provincial head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga, confirmed the arrest.
Jones will appear in court in Hendrina on Wednesday September 13.
He will then be added as accused number one with his four co-accused.
August 30: Hawks in Mbombela seek alleged fraudster
An alleged fraudster was recently seen driving around the city in a brand-new Mustang.
The Hawks are on the hunt for Patrese Patrick Jones (55), who is sought for fraud, theft and money laundering, and failed to appear in court after he was released on R100 000 bail.
Jones and a former Eskom employee, Thandeka Innocentia Nkosi (42), were arrested earlier on charges that they colluded and stole more than R14m from Eskom during April 2013.
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At the time, Nkosi was working as a senior buyer at the power utility.
The case against Jones, two of his family members, and his former girlfriend, was built on evidence of how the syndicate had colluded, via a network of front companies, to steal about R14.7m.
His brother, Godfrey Jason Jones (46), his mother, Rabela Sarah Jones (71), and his former girlfriend, Maria *Centeio (53), were all arrested.
Cantelo worked for the City of Mbombela for many years as a secretary to a number of municipal managers.
During their previous appearance, all the suspects, except his mother, were released on R100 000 bail each.
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His mother, due to health conditions, was granted bail of R30 000.
Recently, the suspects appeared in the specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Hendrina. Patrese, however, absconded. A warrant for his arrest was issued.
Shortly after the other suspects’ appearance, he was seen in Steiltes driving around in a blue Mustang adorned with two black racing stripes.
* The surname Centeio’s has been amended from Centelo.
