PRETORIA – The East London Magistrate Court has issued warrant of arrests after only one suspect out the nine handed himself over to the Hawks Task Team members on Friday.
The outstanding eight suspects chose to abscond and instead picked to send their legal representatives to appear on their behalf. The suspects, who are subject to a fraud and corruption investigation, were duly informed last week and given ample time to present themselves.
An agreement was reached with the investigation team that they would adhere to arrangement however only one suspect turned up and was duly charged. The warrant of arrests stem from a Hawks investigation were it is alleged the Buffalo City Municipality lost almost R15 million for services not rendered.
It is alleged that Ndodana Consulting Engineers Pty (Ltd) allegedly submitted fraudulent invoices to the municipality. The directors of the company and some senior officials at the municipality allegedly benefited out the alleged fraudulent transaction.
Monde Webster Ndodana (63) and owner of Ndodana Consulting Engineers complied and handed himself to the team last week Friday morning. The accused appeared briefly the same day and was granted R30 000 bail. The case was remanded to the 02 May 2017.
The courtesy that was handed over to the remaining suspects has virtually come to a dead end. The National Head of the Hawks Lieutenant General Mthandazo has ordered that the suspects surrender themselves to the task team members to avert further embarrassment.
“Company directors and senior municipal officials are not above the law and no one deserves preferential treatment in the spirit of equality before the law. The Hawks are a law enforcement entity and we will not delay to execute our mandate without fear or favour.
“Central to the rule of law is that no person is above the law. Respect for the rule of law would be ferociously be undermined if the accused were to send a message to the public that they do not value court orders. We have given them another chance that they surrender to the task team. If not, we will not hesitate to search for then wherever they are to answer to the serious charges they are facing,” warned Lieutenant General Ntlemeza.
