SIU pursuing civil case against lawyer charged with fraud

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is pursuing a civil case in the Special Tribunal against lawyer for the office of the state attorney advocate Hassan Ebrahim Kajee to recover about R27m.

The SIU said this is for damages the state suffered due to the alleged corrupt and collusive relationship between the former head of the office of the state attorney in Johannesburg, Gustav Lekabe, and Kajee.

SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said Lekabe is alleged to have briefed Kajee as counsel for the state in many matters.

“The SIU is empowered to institute civil action in the high court or a Special Tribunal in its name to correct wrongdoing uncovered during investigations caused by acts of corruption, fraud or maladministration,” he said

Kajee was arrested by the Hawks on Saturday on numerous charges of fraud.

He appeared in the Johannesburg regional court on Monday and was released on R20,000 bail.

The SIU has welcomed the arrest.

Kganyago said Kajee was appointed on various matters to represent the state.

His arrest follows an SIU investigation which revealed he allegedly inflated invoices, invoiced for services not rendered and overcharged for alleged services rendered.

“Advocate Kajee would bill that he worked more hours daily than actual hours in the day and invoiced for work on different matters simultaneously.”

Kganyago said in line with the SIU and Special Tribunals Act, the SIU referred evidence pointing to criminal conduct to the National Prosecuting Authority for further action which resulted in Kajee's arrest.

“The SIU was mandated by proclamation R21 of 2018 to investigate certain allegations in respect of the affairs of the department of justice and constitutional development insofar as it relates to the office of the state attorney.”

Kajee is expected to return to court in May. 

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