Three people who allegedly defrauded the KwaZulu-Natal education department of more than R85m have been granted R100,000 bail each.
Raj Gopi, 59, Radharukmoney Gopi, 61, and Harichans Rampersad, 61, appeared at the Durban specialised commercial crime court on Monday.
The trio first appeared in court on June 27 after they were arrested by Hawks members from Pietermaritzburg serious commercial crime investigation unit.
They face numerous charges of fraud, money laundering and contravention of the Income Tax Act.
It is alleged the accused colluded and defrauded the department through cover quoting.
Hawks KZN spokesperson Lt-Col Simphiwe Mhlongo said they allegedly created fictitious enterprises through which they engaged in cover quoting, and legislated procurement processes were evaded to guarantee the award of contracts to enterprises of the syndicate.
Mhlongo said more than R85m was paid by the department during the 2012/2013 and the 2016/2017 financial years.
“A case of fraud was reported at Pietermaritzburg police station and the case docket was allocated to the Hawks members for investigation. Through intensive and prosecution-guided investigation, the accused were arrested and charged,” said Mhlongo.
The accused were ordered to report to their nearest police station twice a week.
The matter was postponed to November 10 for further investigation.
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Trio accused of defrauding KZN education department of R85m granted bail
Image: 123RF/Ufuk Zivana
Three people who allegedly defrauded the KwaZulu-Natal education department of more than R85m have been granted R100,000 bail each.
Raj Gopi, 59, Radharukmoney Gopi, 61, and Harichans Rampersad, 61, appeared at the Durban specialised commercial crime court on Monday.
The trio first appeared in court on June 27 after they were arrested by Hawks members from Pietermaritzburg serious commercial crime investigation unit.
They face numerous charges of fraud, money laundering and contravention of the Income Tax Act.
It is alleged the accused colluded and defrauded the department through cover quoting.
Hawks KZN spokesperson Lt-Col Simphiwe Mhlongo said they allegedly created fictitious enterprises through which they engaged in cover quoting, and legislated procurement processes were evaded to guarantee the award of contracts to enterprises of the syndicate.
Mhlongo said more than R85m was paid by the department during the 2012/2013 and the 2016/2017 financial years.
“A case of fraud was reported at Pietermaritzburg police station and the case docket was allocated to the Hawks members for investigation. Through intensive and prosecution-guided investigation, the accused were arrested and charged,” said Mhlongo.
The accused were ordered to report to their nearest police station twice a week.
The matter was postponed to November 10 for further investigation.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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