CAPE TOWN: Three people are expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on multiple charges of fraud exceeding R299 million.
Spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase, said the suspects were aged between 55 and 65.
He said they were each served with a court summons by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team earlier this week and last week, for their alleged involvement in tax and VAT evasion.
“The suspects worked under the same company… between 2010 to 2016. In the process of performing their duties, they had… reportedly submitted false tax and VAT documents to the South African Revenue Service (Sars),” Nkwalase said.
He said that during the same period, fraudulent tax clearance certificate documents were submitted to gain security tenders from local government procurement processes.
The trio is expected to appear in court on January 27, 2022.
The Hawks said more arrests were imminent.
In an unrelated matter, four suspects are expected to appear in the Benoni Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of dealing in drugs.
The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team in Germiston, together with the West Rand K9, executed a search and seizure warrant on Tuesday. It resulted in the successful apprehension of four men allegedly operating an illegal drug manufacturing laboratory in Benoni.
The team were following up on information relating to drug-related activities in the Lakefield area.
Police pounced on the suspects who were allegedly processing illegal drugs with an estimated street value of R3m.
Drug manufacturing equipment, chemicals and two vehicles were seized during the operation.
IOL