BUSINESS PARTNERS RE-ARRESTED FOR FAILURE TO APPEAR

EASTERN CAPE – Marike van der Walt (50) and Sarel Johannes (55) were arrested by Gqeberha Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team of the Hawks yesterday, 5 August 2021 for failing to appear at the Specialised Commercial Crime Court on 3 August 2021.
It is alleged that between 2003 and 2007, Van der Walt and Johannes as members of a close corporation registered as estate agencies were not registered with the South African Revenue Services (SARS) as employers but are reported to have deducted from employees’ salaries cash to the value of more than R289 000 which was never paid to SARS and some employees were not even issued with tax certificates.
It is further alleged that during the period in 2006 and 2007, the duo deposited cheques to the total amount of R120 000 into a business account of one of the entities drawn against the bank account of one of other business entities inducing the bank to credit the account whilst knowing the cheques will not be honoured by the bank.
Further allegations are that between July 2011 and November 2013, they procured goods and services from various business entities by presenting fraudulent electronic funds transfer (EFT) payments and deposit slips to the value of more than R173 000.
After a fruitful probing by the team of Hawks, the duo was arrested on 8 November 2013 on charges of numerous counts of fraud and Contravention of Income Tax Acts . They were released by the Specialised Commercial Crime Court on warning on the very same day. They made numerous court appearances in between but on 3 August 2021, failed to do so hence their arrest.
They were convicted for failing to appear in court and cautioned and were released on R350 bail each with conditions. The trial date is set for 4 April 2022.