By Kaya 959 Reporter
A financial manager has been arrested after he allegedly defrauded his employer of R2.2 million.
Christiaan Frederick van Wyk appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes.
He allegedly created fraudulent payment transactions over a six-year period between 2012 and 2018 when he was working at a Melrose-based company, PEG Holdings, as a Secretary and Financial Manager.
Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in Johannesburg received the matter for an investigation into the allegations against van Wyk.
“Further investigation revealed that van Wyk transferred approximately R2.2 million on different transactions into his bank accounts for the period,” said Hawks spokesperson Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu.
She said a warrant of arrest was issued for van Wyk’s apprehension. He handed himself in at the Johannesburg Hawks’ office on Thursday, 30 September 2021 where he was formally charged with fraud.
“He appeared in court on the same day and was granted R10 000 bail. The case is postponed to 4 November 2021 for a legal aid representative,” Mulamu said.
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Hawks official found guilty of fraud
In a separate matter, a former Hawks captain was convicted for fraud. In 2007, an application was made requesting R4, 000 to be used as trap money in a Hawks investigation.
Hawks spokesperson in the Eastern Cape, Captain Yolisa Mgolodela, said the operation was conducted and the money was then recovered from the target, registered at a local police station and then booked out by investigators.
In 2011, the original case docket was allocated to Mpapela who was given the cash by the then unit commander.
In 2016, the case was withdrawn and the money was supposed to be handed back to the finance office but it was not.
Mpapela insisted that he did not have the money.
Mgolodela said information related to the transgression was received in 2020, by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation for probing, which subsequently led to his arrest on June 28, 2021.
“He appeared in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on the same day and was released on R5 000 bail,” she said.
Mpapela is due back in court early next week for sentencing.
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