A government worker who rudely refused to sign a subpoena to testify as a witness in a fraud trial has been arrested and detained.

“The arrest should serve as a reminder to others that witnesses have an obligation to appear before court to testify and not at their discretion. Any witness who undermine the court will become an accused,” said Hawks Mpumalanga head Maj-Gen Zodwa Mokoena.

The 45-year-old potential witness defied the instructions of the court by refusing to receive or sign for the J32 subpoena in a criminal proceeding which summonsed her to attend and give evidence in court on Friday, said spokesperson Capt Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi.

The department of transport employee is wanted as a witness in a trial of an accused who allegedly fraudulently used the department's letterhead to “order” and con a supplier in June 2016.

“After the supplier bought and delivered the procured assets, the suspect vanished without paying her.”

The case is before court, with the suspect out on bail.

When the department witness was approached on June 30 with a subpoena to testify at the Middelburg commercial crime court, she allegedly told the investigating officer “to take the subpoena back to court and throw it to the prosecutor as she was not coming”.

The case was postponed to July 25 for her to appear in court but she failed to attend. The magistrate issued a warrant for her arrest on that day.

On August 12, she was arrested and kept in custody pending her first court appearance on Monday.

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