A woman accused of embezzling more than R1-million from a company she worked for will be behind bars tonight as millions of South Africans celebrate the start of a new year.
Nadia van den Berg, a resident of Garsfontein, appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday, charged with fraud totalling R1.1-million.
The 37-year-old fraud suspect was an administrator at Mirfin Valuation Services, where she handled payments for a range of clients.
Instead of fulfilling her duties, Van den Berg allegedly altered the bank account details on multiple business invoices, replaced them with her own details, and embezzled the funds into her account between 2022 and 2024.
Case postponed to January 3
The fraudulent activities were discovered after a client informed the business owner of an unsuccessful money transfer to their bank account.
After looking over the bills, the owner questioned Van den Berg, dismissed her, and lodged a complaint against her on August 29.
The National Prosecuting Authority’s spokesperson in Pretoria, Lumka Mahanjana, stated that the suspect was taken into custody at her home on December 27, following police investigations.
The case was postponed to January 3 for a possible bail application, and Van den Berg has been ordered back in police custody until her next court appearance.
In another case, the Grahamstown Magistrate’s Court is scheduled to hear the case of a 58-year-old former warrant officer on January 14 accused of stealing drugs. The former cop was nabbed in early December and released on a warning.
Cop and former cop arrested
The former police officer is accused of stealing drugs worth an estimated R204 000 that were discovered abandoned in the Grahamstown area, according to the investigation.
These drugs were reportedly stolen before being disposed of, despite having been booked for disposal in the Grahamstown SA Police Service (SAPS) register.
“The suspect was arrested and warned to appear at Grahamstown Magistrate’s Court on January 14, 2025,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa, the spokesperson for the police in Eastern Cape.
Mawisa went on to say that the police were still investigating a sergeant who is suspected of being involved in a fraud case that happened at one of the filling stations in Sterkspruit, Eastern Cape.
“It is alleged that the sergeant would get cash back after using the SAPS fleet petrol card from the filling stations,” Mawisa said.
“It is further alleged that he was working with cashiers and petrol attendants who were also arrested during the operation.”
