A young woman accused of pocketing hundreds of thousands of rands through an alleged municipal scam has been dealt a major blow after the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court refused to grant her bail.

Janitha van Reenen Coetzee (25) appeared in court yesterday (June 1), where she unsuccessfully sought her release, reports Sedibeng Ster.

She faces a fraud charge involving approximately R424 000 that was allegedly siphoned from the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM).

According to allegations before the court, Coetzee allegedly posed as an independent agent claiming she could help residents receive discounts on their outstanding municipal accounts.

Residents allegedly handed her money, believing she would settle their accounts at discounted rates.

Instead, investigators claim the money never reached the municipality.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, Coetzee allegedly submitted claims to the municipality on behalf of victims, and ELM subsequently paid out about R424 000 to her.

The alleged fraud was uncovered by ELM’s former financial officer, the late Martha Mani Rantsofu, who reportedly noticed suspicious claims and alerted management.

An internal investigation followed before the matter was handed to the police, which led to the arrest of the accused on May 20.

The state, represented by Prosecutor Moses Raditsela, opposed the bail application. He argued that the accused was likely to interfere with state witnesses and posed a flight risk, as her residential address could not be properly verified.

In his ruling, magistrate Thizwilondi Mamburu agreed with the prosecution’s submissions and found that it would not be in the interest of justice to release the accused on bail.

Bail was accordingly denied, and the matter was postponed to June 23 for further investigation.

Meanwhile, ELM has moved to distance the matter from rumours surrounding the death of Rantsofu.

ELM spokesperson Makhosonke Sangweni dismissed speculation linking the late official’s death to alleged whistleblowing activities, describing such claims as false, harmful and disrespectful to her family.

“The municipality requests that the legal process be allowed to unfold without interference or prejudice,” said Sangweni.

Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant General Dimpane praised investigators and prosecutors, saying the court’s decision reflected the strength of the evidence gathered.

“The denial of bail demonstrates the diligence, professionalism and commitment of our investigators and prosecutors in ensuring accountability through the criminal justice process,” he said.

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