NPA arrests 'fugitive' involved in contract scam

04 February 2020 - 07:00
By Kgaugelo Masweneng
The NPA said on Monday that it had rearrested a fugitive who skipped the country after applying for his bail conditions to be relaxed.
Image: SUHAIB SALEM The NPA said on Monday that it had rearrested a fugitive who skipped the country after applying for his bail conditions to be relaxed.

A fugitive from justice has been rearrested and will appear in the Palmridge Magistrate's Court, south of Johannesburg, on Tuesday.

Pierre Kapia Peterson was previously granted bail of R100,000 and had applied for a relaxation of his bail conditions to attend a business meeting in Luanda, Angola — but then disappeared.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the man is facing charges of fraud for presenting documents purporting to have been issued by Eskom in support of a bid for a contract with the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS).

The contract was awarded to Blue Future on the strength of forged documents purporting to have been issued by Eskom.

Other charges relate to a contract of just over R20m, but which resulted in payments of over R200m.

Mjonondwane added that the CEO of the NHLS and other senior officials had been suspended as a result of the irregular expenditure.

The SIU is now investigating this among other irregularities at the NHLS.