ANOTHER SUSPECT ADDED IN THE FRAUD AND THEFT CASE AGAINST A ZAMBIAN NATIONAL ACCUSED OF STEALING OVER R5 MILLION
Dineo Precious Powane made a brief appearance at the Rustenburg Magistrates’ Court on three charges of money laundering. She was linked to a case relating to Evan Mutale (44), who is facing 21 charges of fraud and three alternative charges of money laundering, after his arrest by the SAPS’ Provincial Commercial Crime Unit on 12 April 2023, in Rustenberg. He was charged for stealing over R 5 million, from Jaira Constructions and Projects, where he was employed as an accountant, responsible for managing accounts, payroll, and loading payments. Powane was granted R3000 bail, while Mutale is out on R10 000 bail. Their matter will now appear at the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, sitting in Rustenburg on 07 June 2023, for pre-trial conferencing.
It is alleged that between September 2019 and November 2020, Mutale fraudulently transferred money into an account belonging to Powane, who has no links to the company but is known to him. These transactions were allegedly done under the pretense of paying a service provider for services rendered to the company. In the process, he deceived his supervisor to make final authorisations for money to be transferred into Powane’s bank account.
Investigations revealed that some of this money was later transferred to his bank account, as such contributed to the state charging him with money laundering.
The Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr. Rachel Makhari together with the North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, expressed their satisfaction with the progress made following the second arrest. They expressed a need for fraud and corruption matters to be dealt with decisively, as these offences cripple the economy of the country.
