CASE OF MAN ACCUSED OF FRAUD AND MONEY LAUNDERING OF OVER R10 MILLION TRANSFERRED TO THE SPECIALISED COMMERCIAL CRIMES COURT
The Delareyville Magistrates’ Court adjourned the case against Jan Jacobus Van Niekerk (38), to 19 July 2023, for the matter to be transferred to the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court. He was granted R12 000 bail, and the court ordered him to report to his nearest police station once a week between 06h00 and 18h00.
Van Niekerk is facing 337 charges of fraud and 20 of money laundering. He, in the company of his attorney, handed himself over to the SAPS’ Provincial Commercial Crimes Unit, on 30 May 2023, and he was subsequently charged with fraud and money laundering amounting to over R10 million.
Police investigations reveal that Van Niekerk was employed by Botselo Mills (Pty) Ltd as an accountant, authorised to transact on the company’s accounts.
It is alleged that between January 2017 and July 2022, Van Niekerk submitted forms fraudulently requiring approval for payment to be made into the accounts of service providers, for a service that was not rendered. It was further discovered that in the forms, he provided the names of the service providers that are in the company database, but fraudulently replaced their banking account numbers into his six personal banking accounts that he holds with two major banks.
It was further discovered that he allegedly had working relationships with some of the companies he submitted for payment. Investigations into the matter are completed, and the state is ready to proceed with pre-trial conferencing in the next court sitting.
The Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr. Rachel Makhari, together with the Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, lauded the police for the arrest and commended the prosecution team led by the Head of the Specialised Commercial Crimes Unit in the NW, Adv Bongani Chauke and the Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection, Major General Dintletse Molefe, for a collaboration that led to the arrest and court appearances of the accused.
