An Eastern Cape-based lawyer who defrauded a Road Accident Fund (RAF) beneficiary is scheduled to appear at the East London Specialised Commercial Crime Court.
The suspect, who has been identified as a foreigner, was apprehended by the Hawks with the help of East London Crime Intelligence on Wednesday.
The investigations revealed that the man had deceived his young client, who had been involved in a hit-and-run accident in July 2011 at the intersection of Voortrekker Road and Emily Hobhouse Road in the Goodwood neighbourhood of Cape Town.
The 52-year-old man is accused of fraud and corruption, according to Hawks. He is said to have accepted more than R2-million from the RAF without returning it to its rightful owner.
“It is reported that a minor was struck by an unidentified vehicle that fled the scene,” said a statement from the Hawks.
“Subsequent to the incident, a claim was filed with the Road Accident Fund on behalf of the minor through legal representatives based in Southernwood, East London.
“However, inquiries by the victim revealed discrepancies as the purported successful claim of over R2-million was allegedly deposited into a trust account of the law firm where the suspect served as the sole signatory.”
A thorough investigation was conducted
The Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation (SCCI) team was eventually tasked with conducting a thorough investigation into the matter.
The investigation revealed that the victim’s intended funds never made it to her because the suspect allegedly misappropriated them for his own use.
Major-General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, the provincial head of the Hawks, praised the hard work of the Hawks’ East London-based SCCI team and East London Crime Intelligence for their part in capturing the suspect.
A 35-year-old woman was taken into custody in the Eastern Cape in 2023 on suspicion of attempting to defraud the RAF of R2.3-million.
The woman is said to have filed a complaint regarding a hit-and-run incident.
She was arrested after successfully filing an R2.3-million claim with the RAF.
The claim was processed, and while a senior forensic investigator examined the documents, disparities were found that required further examination.
