A Pretoria businessman has been remanded in custody after he allegedly defrauded a car dealership out of over R1.4 million.
Ali Ahmed Sabir, 45, allegedly created false payslips under his company, Sabir Egalvally Investment CC, in 2017.
He allegedly used the payslips to apply for vehicle finance at three car dealerships in Pretoria.
The dealerships issued Sabir with four Audi models, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, and a BMW M Sport Gran Coupe. He failed to make the monthly repayments.
Wesbank and ABSA allegedly financed the vehicles. The Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit in Pretoria investigated the case.
“The investigation team circulated Sabir on the local and international border movement control,” Hawks spokesperson Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu says.
Officials apprehended Sabir on Sunday at the Swaziland border post
He was travelling out of South Africa on holiday at the time. Officials charged Sabir with fraud. He is due back in court on Thursday for a formal bail application.
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Vehicle finance fraud
Another man, Arthur Moyo, received 15 years in prison for using counterfeit documents to secure vehicle finance.
Moyo reportedly used fake documents to secure finance for vehicles in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo. His crime spree began in 2016.
“Moyo’s conviction came after he went to Nel Auto Mazda Witbank and Ford in Nelspruit and used counterfeit bank statements, salary payslips, counterfeit ID documents bearing his photo to make applications for vehicle finance in November 2017. After the applications were approved he collected the said vehicles,” the SAPS said in a statement.
Moyo used the same modus operandi at Klerksdorp Motor Smart in November 2016, according to police.
“Again in Polokwane Galactic Auto on 13 January 2017. Lastly in Rustenburg, Leons Rustenburg Ford on 13 January 2017. The total value suffered by the banks is over R1. 6 Million.”
The Emalahleni Regional Court sentenced Moyo in September.
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