A 49-year-old woman was arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team on Tuesday, 17 June, for alleged fraud and alternative theft.
It is alleged that during 2012, the suspect was a co-director of the company named Rowen Tree 60 Pty Ltd with two other directors.
The suspect allegedly withdrew an application for renewal of prospecting mining rights, which was in the process at the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), said WO Nomthandazo Mnisi, Hawks’ spokesperson.
In 2015 the suspect, with her co-directors, resolved to sell the company and the withdrawn prospecting mining right to a known businessman in the Northern Cape for an amount of R100 000.
After the conclusion of the sale agreement but before the businessman could make a payment, she sold the company to the complainant and withheld the letter withdrawing the prospecting mining right, thereby misleading the complainant as though the prospecting mining right was valid and in good standing.
Consequently, the complainant accepted the offer and paid an amount of R1 368 000. After the complainant paid this amount to the seller of the rights, an amount of R100 000 was paid to a personal account belonging to one of the directors of Rowen Tree 60 Pty Ltd.
This series of fraudulent transactions resulted in the complainant losing an amount of R1 368 000.
More arrests are imminent, said Mnisi.
The suspect is expected to appear before the Douglas Magistrates’ Court in the Northern Cape on Thursday, 19 June.
