‘Missing’ Cape Town athletics official gets bail in R250K fraud case

Western Cape Athletics Association finance officer Allen Barnes appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday to face fraud charges involving at least R250,000, two weeks after he reportedly went missing.

He was granted bail of R5,000 on condition he hand over a password to a laptop to the investigating officer.

No further details of the laptop or why it is needed were given.

Barnes must hand over the password within seven days to the officer at the Sea Point police station.

He must also hand in his passport and not leave the Western Cape without the investigating officer’s permission.

Barnes was first reported as missing on January 4. He left his home in Cape Town at about 03.00am using his fiancée’s car, but failed to arrive at an athletics event in Strandfontein, police said at the time.

In a statement that Wednesday, Western Province Athletics (WPA) confirmed Barnes, who is its finance officer, was being investigated for irregularities.

“As a board, we have found irregularities since Mr Allen Barnes’ disappearance, and we are conducting a full investigation into the matter,” read a statement by WPA president Jakes Jacobs.

A full report would be available once the investigation was completed, the statement added.

Barnes was located last week and brought to Cape Town to appear in the magistrate’s court.

The WPA has scheduled a special meeting for February 6 to discuss his removal.

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