Durban — Two suspects have appeared in court on charges of fraud and money laundering following their arrest on Monday.
Theolin Govender, 26, and Koobendran Govender, 37, appeared briefly at Howick Magistrate’s Court for fraud and money laundering on Monday.
Hawks KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Warrant Officer Sibu Ncane said a fraud and money laundering case was opened at the Nottingham Road police station.
The case docket was allocated to the Hawks members from Pietermaritzburg Serious Commercial Crime Investigation for further exploration.
It is alleged that in April 2023, Koobendran was employed by Agri Trading Solutions (PTY) LTD, to assist the company in buying raw materials and converting them to finished products. The accused, a director of SCOUPTAUR (PTY) LTD and KCG Global Traders, created fraudulent bank accounts and false invoices, claiming them to be for different companies. Agri Trading Solutions was paying into these fraudulent accounts and for false invoices. The company lost R10 million.
Ncane said an intensive investigation was conducted and it was established that the bank accounts that were used belonged to the accused and his brother Theolin, who also owns a company called T and R Tyres Services (PTY) LTD.
“On Monday, August 19, the accused were arrested and charged with fraud and money laundering. They then appeared in the Howick Magistrate’s Court,” Ncane said.
“Theolin Govender was released on R5 000 bail. Koobendran Govender is still in custody and the matter was remanded to August 21, for bail application.”
Meanwhile, in an unrelated matter, a company director, aged 48, was summoned to appear in court this month on 28 counts of fraud and contravention of the Tax Administration Act.
It is alleged that the suspect, a sole director of the company, submitted VAT refunds between March 2011 and July 2018.
The South African Revenue Service (Sars) conducted an audit and it was established that the deposit reflecting income was overstated when compared to income sales declared in VAT returns. As a result, Sars suffered the actual prejudice of R11 153 934.93.
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