Former manager faces 737 fraud charges

A 62 year-old suspect was remanded in custody last week Friday by the eMalahleni Regional Court for failing to comply with her bail conditions pending an appeal.

It is alleged that between January 2004 and July 2009, Lida Potgieter, who was a manager of the Witbank Municipality’s internal sports club, fraudulently transferred more than R4 million into her personal account. This was after employees of the municipality contributed fees which were deducted from their salaries as member fees to the club.

It is further alleged that when the contributions reached a substantial amount, Potgieter started an in-house lending scheme which motivated the employees to make further investments in the hope of increasing their earnings. However, the scheme collapsed after Potgieter fradulently transferred more than R4 million into her personal account.

Bookkeeper sentenced to three years in prison for fraud and theft

The Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit was entrusted with the probe after a case was registered during 2015. “Potgieter was arrested and charged with 737 counts of fraud.

She was sentenced to six years direct imprisonment in February 2015, and was subsequently released on bail of R10 000 after her appeal against the judgement,” explained Dineo Sekgotodi, spokesman for Hawks.

“Potgieter violated her bail conditions, resulting in a warrant for her arrest being issued, culminating in her arrest last Friday.”-
The case was postponed to July 26 for her formal bail application.-