On 6 October 2016 a former employee of the Independent Development Trust (the IDT), Martha Baloyi, appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, Pretoria on charges of fraud. She was released on bail and the case was postponed to 4 November 2016.
Baloyi, who was employed at the IDT as a Project Implementation Manager, had access to all the data of suppliers. It was her responsibility to obtain quotations from suppliers on the relevant supplier data base in respect of specific services to be rendered. Based on the quotations, Baloyi would then choose a supplier.
It is alleged that Baloyi created false quotations in the name of Come Today Trading and Project 88 CC (the Company). Thereafter, Baloyi unlawfully processed the payments through the payment system. As soon as the money was paid into the bank account of the Company, Baloyi approached the owner of the Company and requested her to pay the funds over to her.
The IDT became aware of the fraud after the owner of the Company approached the IDT and informed them of Baloyi’s conduct. Investigations are currently underway to determine exactly how much funds were paid over by the IDT into not only the CC’s account but also other accounts to which Baloyi had access.
The Asset Forfeiture Unit (the AFU) of the National Prosecuting Authority was also successful in obtaining a preservation order in the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Pretoria in respect of Baloyi’s property in Danville, Pretoria. It is the AFU’s submission that R70 000 which was paid into the bond account of the Danville property represents the proceeds of fraud and/or theft committed against the IDT. Alternatively, the property is an instrumentality of money laundering in that it represents the proceeds of fraud and/or theft.
The AFU filed a forfeiture application which will be heard on 26 January 2017. If the order is granted, the Danville property will be sold and the money misappropriated by Baloyi will be paid back to the IDT.
Working together with other stakeholders, the AFU is committed to ensure that state employees are discouraged from defrauding the State and other State owned entities.
