GAUTENG – A suspect (42) is appearing in the Bellville Commercial Crimes court today, Thursday, 26 October 2023 for her first appearance following her arrest by the Hawks’ Pretoria based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation together with 419 Task Team on Tuesday, 24 October 2023 on charges of fraud. Between October 2015 and September 2016, Johannes Liebenberg had travelled to Croatia for the purpose of purchasing a house and finalising the purchase contract with his lawyers Mario Boras and Ronny Haesen.
During the negotiation, it was agreed by both parties that Liebenberg would enter into a planned payment for the total of $850 000.00 of which $300 000 was payable immediately and the remaining amount to be paid in two years’ as per the agreement on the contract. On Saturday, 25 September 2016, Liebenberg received an e-mail from Haesen indicating that the outstanding amount of R4 590 000.00 must be paid into an FNB account belonging to a company called Peak Global. The complainant immediately transferred the mentioned amount via electronic funds transaction (EFT) to the suspect’s FNB account of which she then transferred it into different business and personal accounts.
Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) flagged the transaction and contacted the complainant who confirmed the payments as he was buying a house in Croatia. A case of fraud was opened and a warrant of arrest was issued.
Source: saps.gov.za