Second suspect arrested for alleged R53m fraud and corruption in City Of Tshwane

A 44-year-old suspect from Durban is expected to appear at the Empangeni Magistrate’s Court on Monday for alleged fraud, money laundering and corruption amounting to R53 million, Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said.

Mulaudzi said the suspect was arrested on Friday by the national clean audit task team of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) (also known as the Hawks) after he was linked to the theft of R53 million from the City of Tshwane Municipality which was earmarked for the National Fund for Municipality Workers (NFMW).

“The money was allegedly stolen from the municipality’s bank account on 30 August 2019.

“It was discovered during investigations that the stolen funds were allegedly laundered from the company SAGOLD (Pty) Ltd into several businesses as well as local and international bank accounts of the first accused’s relatives.

“This suspect is to be joined with the first accused Ivo Gunter Wegrostek (62) who was arrested on 18 December 2019,” Mulaudzi said.

The first accused in the matter, Wegrostek, is out on bail of R 100 000 with strict bail conditions which, among others, include restricted international travelling, reporting daily at the Douglasdale SAPS, not to leave Gauteng without the consent of the investigating officer and he was also ordered to handover his Austrian and South African passports, Mulaudzi said.

The case was remanded to 21 May 2020 in the Specialised Commercial Crime Court, Pretoria, he added.

“It is expected that the case against this suspect will also be remanded to 21 May 2020 at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court in order to join the first accused where he will be accused number two.  The team managed to freeze R 400 000-00 in the matter. The Assets Forfeiture Unit (AFU) is part of the team.”

The national head of the DPCI, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya commended the team that has worked tirelessly on this matter.

“I appreciate the efforts made by the team to gather enough evidence to link these suspects. No stone shall be left unturned until everyone who participated in the looting is accounting for such action” said Lieutenant General Lebeya.

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)

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