Businesswoman in court for alleged fraud after being on run for over two years

26 April 2017 - 17:32 By Taschica Pillay
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Gavel. File photo.
Gavel. File photo.
Image: Thinkstock

A businesswoman who was nabbed by the Hawks at a hideout in a posh Cape Town suburb after being on the run for more than two years appeared in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Wednesday facing multiple charges of alleged fraud.

Michayla Kogie Mentoor‚ 48‚ of Amanzimtoti‚ is accused of conning several small business owners in KwaZulu-Natal of over R2-million.

Magistrate Christobel Mazibuko remanded Mentoor in police custody until May 3 for a bail application.

  • Bishopscourt 'hideout' raided by Hawks on trail of alleged conwomanA woman who allegedly promised small business owners she had an inside track to get them government funding - for a fee - has been arrested in one of South Africa's poshest suburbs‚ police said on Friday. 

The court was told Mentoor is a chronic diabetic and was on medication.

Mentoor was arrested last Thursday in the upmarket suburb of Bishops Court in Cape Town.

She made her first court appearance in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court after her arrest.

"Mentoor who has been on the run for over two years was nabbed at her hideout. It is alleged that Mentoor masqueraded as a consultant from the Department of Trade and Industry and conned several small business owners in KwaZulu-Natal of over R2-million.

"She allegedly promised the unsuspecting victims that she would help fast-track their applications for funding to start or expand their entities. Consequently she would then produce fraudulent approval letters purportedly from the DTI and collect a fee for her efforts‚" said Captain Lloyd Ramovha of the Hawks.

Ramovha said further investigations have established that she has an outstanding 2013 warrant of arrest from the Randburg Magistrate’s Court for similar allegations with potential losses to the tune of over R60 million.

-TMG Digital/TimesLIVE

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now