Courts

SIU pursues case to recover millions from lawyer who defrauded state attorney

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is pursuing a civil case against a lawyer for the Office of the State Attorney for defrauding the institution of R27 million.

Advocate Hassan Ebrahim Kajee was handcuffed by the Hawks on Saturday, 1 April.

Kajee’s arrest follows an SIU investigation which revealed that the advocate inflated invoices, invoiced for services not actually rendered and overcharged for alleged services rendered.

Arrest

In line with the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals, the SIU referred evidence pointing to criminal conduct to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further action which resulted in the arrest of Kajee.

SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago told The Citizen the state attorney often appoints counsel to represent matters on behalf of various state institutions.

ALSO READ: SIU recovers R18 million linked to RAF investigation

Inflated charges

He said Kajee was appointed on various matters to represent the state and inflated the charges for the amount of work done.

“Advocate Kajee would bill that he worked more hours daily than actual hours in the day and invoiced for work on different matters simultaneously.

Recovery of money

Kganyago said the SIU is pursuing the case in the Special Tribunal against Kajee to recover the stolen money.

“We are doing that already, to recover approximately R27 million for damages the state suffered, because of the alleged corrupt and collusive relationship between the former head of the Office of the State Attorney Mr Gustav Lekabe and Kajee.”

Kganyago said Lekabe is alleged to have briefed Kajee as counsel for the state in a plethora of matters.

“This was in relation to the applicant charging for legal fees not actually rendered, doubled-charged for similar work done in a specific matter and double invoiced the Office of the State Attorney.”