Former Middelburg estate agent behind bars in Cape Town
After several accusations against Annica van Staden about questionable property transactions, it was a flopped car sale involving a Capetonian that would land her behind bars.
Van Staden has been fingered as the mastermind behind several shady property transactions. Numerous residents claim they have lost their hard earned money after attempting to buy property from her. People as far as Mamelodi and Secunda have also alleged that they lost their money in the same way.
The man from Cape Town, who requested to stay anonymous, said that he met Van Staden through a business contact at the beginning of 2018. They entered into a deal to supply machinery for a mine near Johannesburg.
Also read: “Annica van Staden stole my money!”
The man flew up to Gauteng from Cape Town to meet with Van Staden and planned to drive down in a car that he had bought. After meeting Van Staden at Emperors Palace, and finalising the contract for the mine, Van Staden allegedly asked the man what other business he had in Johannesburg.
When she heard that he had bought a car, she told him that she had great contacts for repossessed vehicles.
The man said that Van Staden sent him photos and prices of vehicles via WhatsApp after he had returned to Cape Town. He said that he had no reason not to trust her because of the business contract they had. He was interested in two cars she sent him and paid R365 000 into an account Van Staden provided. As per usual, the man flew to Gauteng to drive his newly acquired car back home.
Also read: The tricky problem with repossessed houses
After empty promises and spending two days in Gauteng, the man said he realised that something was amiss. He opened a criminal case against Van Staden once he returned to Cape Town. The mining deal also never came to light.
After more than six months, a warrant was issued for Van Staden’s arrest, leading police to Ermelo this week. She was arrested by members of the Commercial Crimes Unit on Tuesday. It was confirmed that Van Staden appeared in court in Ermelo after her arrest. She will be taken to Cape Town today (Friday) where she will appear in court on Monday to face a charge of theft alternatively fraud.
Also read: Mike Bolhuis: “Van Staden a super-crook”
• News of Van Staden’s arrest spread like a wildfire, with several other people who have opened criminal cases against her saying that they hope that she will now also be charged with their cases.
• A criminal case against Van Staden was opened after a foiled transaction involving shipping containers in Lydenburg.
• Another complainant, who opened a case with the Secunda Police after a failed property transaction, says that he had been told that his case was transferred to Middelburg.
• A man opened a criminal case in Mamelodi, also in connection with a property transaction done with Ms Van Staden.
• The Lydenburg complainant said that although he does not have high hopes of getting his money back, he only wishes to see Van Staden be held accountable for what she had done.
“My business almost went under, we were standing still for eight months with no profit because of what she had done. She should sit behind bars for that,” the man said.
• Van Staden said that she is being framed as the guilty party in botched property transactions by a former colleague.
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