EX-DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM NABBED FOR CORRUPTION, FUGITIVE NABBED AT CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (CTIA)
CAPE TOWN – A 45-year-old former Deputy Director in the department of Economic Development and Tourism and his associate, also aged 45, have been arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Unit of the Hawks on Monday, for seven counts of fraud and corruption valued at just over a million rand.
It is alleged that during the period 2009 to 2011 the accused who was employed as a Deputy Director in the Research and Development Unit of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, apparently unduly used his position in the procurement process as well as his role as Project Manager to motivate that an entity run by his friend, (a co-accused in this case) was wrongly awarded six (6) tenders.
Both accused are expected to appear before the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on October, 26th, 2017, to face charges related to fraud and corruption.
Meanwhile, also on Monday, a 48-year-old suspect, Peter Hering, who was sought on a warrant of arrest, following a drug bust near Villiersdorp on June, 21, 2017, was arrested by Hawks’ Narcotics Enforcement Bureau members after he landed in (CTIA) from Abu Dhabi.
The suspect had become a person of interest together with Peter Ross after the pair allegedly skipped the country, following the seizure of 963kg of heroine valued at almost R300-million at a farm in Vyeboom in June.
A 24-year-old, Dutch international, Ortega Rodriquez Mark was arrested during the said raid and subsequently made a series of court appearances. He is currently out on R100-000 bail with strict conditions. His matter is due back in court on November, 10th, whilst Hering is expected to appear in the Caledon Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Peter Ross is still at large and a warrant for his arrest remains in place.
