Advocate Hassan Ebrahim Kajee, a lawyer for the office of state attorney, has been released on R20 000 bail for numerous charges of fraud.
Kajee appeared before the Johannesburg regional court on Monday where his bail application was heard. He was ordered to return to court on May 25.
The accused was appointed by the office of state attorney to represent the state on behalf of various state institutions.
Investigations by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) revealed that Kajee inflated invoices, invoiced for services not actually rendered, and overcharged for alleged services rendered.
“Furthermore, advocate Kajee would bill that he worked more hours daily than actual hours in the day and invoiced for work on different matters simultaneously,” said the SIU.
“In line with the Special Investigating Unit and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996, the SIU referred evidence pointing to criminal conduct to the National Prosecuting Authority for further action, which led to the arrest of advocate Kajee.”
The SIU is also pursuing a civil case against Kajee to recover about R27-million for damages that the state suffered due to alleged corrupt and collusive relationship between the former head of the office of the state attorney in Johannesburg, Gustav Lekabe, and Kajee.
“Lekabe is alleged to have briefed advocate Kajee as counsel for the state in a plethora of matters in which the applicant was charged for legal fees not actually rendered, doubled-charged for similar work done in a specific matter, and double-invoiced the office of the state attorney.”
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