PROPERTIES, luxury cars and trucks owned by suspected fraudsters were seized by law-enforcement agencies across Gauteng yesterday, the National Prosecuting Authority said.
NPA spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga said it was acting on behalf of the Ekurhuleni metro municipality, which was defrauded of more than R21-million in a computer tender.
"We seized 12 residential homes, several trucks and 27 luxury cars and motorbikes."
The properties and vehicles were taken from seven people and three businesses.
Mhaga said the buildings were in Irene (Pretoria), Edenvale, North Riding, Bedfordview and Benoni (all in Ekurhuleni).
According to Mhaga, Valero David was the sole member of a close corporation, Meropa Sechabeng Technology, which was awarded a computer tender.
He was related, through marriage, to the executive director of the municipality's computer department, Nilesh Singh. David failed to disclose this relationship when applying for the tender.
Andrew Mphushomadi, a senior manager in the computer department, was also allegedly involved in awarding the tender.
Mphushomadi was a member of Nanga Transport. "Shortly after the tender was awarded, Nanga took ownership of a number of Mercedes-Benz trucks valued at nearly R4-million," Mhaga said.
These vehicles were apparently paid for by Meropa Sechabeng Technology.
Mhaga said after David was awarded the tender, he used R8-million to buy luxury vehicles for the other accused and their families as a celebration.
David, Singh and Mphushomadi were arrested last year and appeared in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court on fraud and corruption charges last July.
Their case is scheduled to continue on July 2.
Hawks seize homes, cars after tender fraud
PROPERTIES, luxury cars and trucks owned by suspected fraudsters were seized by law-enforcement agencies across Gauteng yesterday, the National Prosecuting Authority said.
NPA spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga said it was acting on behalf of the Ekurhuleni metro municipality, which was defrauded of more than R21-million in a computer tender.
"We seized 12 residential homes, several trucks and 27 luxury cars and motorbikes."
The properties and vehicles were taken from seven people and three businesses.
Mhaga said the buildings were in Irene (Pretoria), Edenvale, North Riding, Bedfordview and Benoni (all in Ekurhuleni).
According to Mhaga, Valero David was the sole member of a close corporation, Meropa Sechabeng Technology, which was awarded a computer tender.
He was related, through marriage, to the executive director of the municipality's computer department, Nilesh Singh. David failed to disclose this relationship when applying for the tender.
Andrew Mphushomadi, a senior manager in the computer department, was also allegedly involved in awarding the tender.
Mphushomadi was a member of Nanga Transport. "Shortly after the tender was awarded, Nanga took ownership of a number of Mercedes-Benz trucks valued at nearly R4-million," Mhaga said.
These vehicles were apparently paid for by Meropa Sechabeng Technology.
Mhaga said after David was awarded the tender, he used R8-million to buy luxury vehicles for the other accused and their families as a celebration.
David, Singh and Mphushomadi were arrested last year and appeared in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court on fraud and corruption charges last July.
Their case is scheduled to continue on July 2.
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