Durban — A man is expected to appear in court again in two weeks on charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering.
Hawks KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said that on Wednesday, Hawks members from Durban Serious Corruption Investigation arrested Vinola Naidoo, 40, for fraud, corruption and money laundering.
Mhlongo said that during the period between January 1, 2016, and January 1, 2020, Naidoo was employed as a financial manager in one of the construction companies situated in Bayhead, Durban.
“It is alleged that he connived with his general manager and defrauded the company by falsifying payments,” Mhlongo said.
“Fictitious payments were allegedly made to certain company creditors and the company suffered a financial loss of approximately R7 500 000.”
Mhlongo said that Naidoo appeared in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday and was granted R20 000 bail. The case was postponed to February 22.
“A warrant of arrest has been issued for his accomplice.”
Meanwhile, last week, a Durban attorney, Shameer Goolabjith, 41, was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, of which two years were wholly suspended for a period of five years, following his conviction for fraud.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson in KwaZulu-Natal Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said that in July 2015 Goolabjith falsified a claim purportedly on behalf of a complainant, suing the minister of police. He did this without any instruction or request from the complainant. The potential prejudice of the claim is estimated at R100 000.
“Goolabjith will serve an effective three years’ imprisonment.
“After sentencing, Goolabjith, represented by his attorney, made an application for leave to appeal his sentence and conviction. This was turned down by the court. He then advised the court that they want to petition a judge on this decision. The case was therefore adjourned for a bail application pending the petition process. Goolabjith is in custody in the interim,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
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