Ndudi Anyim
A 43-year-old man, Edozie Okobi has been remanded by the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, for alleged fraud and theft of approximately R6 million.
It is alleged that Okobi and his co-accused girlfriend, Angel Tau, 28, allegedly fraudulently created a duplicate email address to launder money from a prospective steel pipe buyer in February 2017.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Okobi and Tau allegedly interrupted and re-directed the steel pipe buyer to their fraudulent email address where they provided new banking details of which an amount of R6 million was transferred.
According to Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu, who spoke for the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (HAWKS), the investigation team facilitated the recovery of the sum of R4 million before it could be spent by the accused.
“Tau was arrested in May 2017 and has since been sentenced to eight years direct imprisonment on counts of fraud and theft. A warrant of arrest was issued for Okobi’s apprehension and he was circulated on local and international border movement control as a person of interest on fraud and theft related matter.
“HAWKS’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in Germiston successfully traced and arrested Okobi in Douglasdale and subsequently charged him for fraud and theft on April 19,” Mulamu said.
Security Watch Africa reports that he was remanded while the court awaits a bail application.