Certificate fraudster in court
‘Damari issued fraudulent export certificates for cash’
‘‘ All monies relating to the certificates were paid into Damari’s account
Former City of Johannesburg employee‚ Nelson Damari‚ is facing 94 counts of fraud for allegedly defrauding the city by irregularly issuing export certificates and allegedly pocketing about R100 000.
Damari‚ the former operations manager at the city’s environmental health department‚ appeared at the Johannesburg Commercial Crimes Court last week and was granted bail of R3 000. The matter was postponed to Friday
The first allegation was reported in 2012 by Davita Trading‚ a subsidiary of Tiger Brands. It is alleged that Damari issued 50 export certificates to Davita Trading‚ but only charged them for 11 certificates and demanded that they be paid for in cash or by cash cheque.
Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba said the investigation had revealed that Damari had been defrauding the city since November 2009.
It is alleged that he approached export and import companies and offered to assist them with obtaining the certificates quicker. In his capacity‚ Damari was not supposed to issue such certificates.
The first four irregular certificates were allegedly issued in 2009 for an amount of R2 860.
“A total of 94 certificates were irregularly issued by Damari. All monies relating to the certificates were paid into Damari’s personal bank account‚” Mashaba said.
He said the certificates that were issued to one company were on the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development letterhead.
The export certificates were also accompanied by veterinary health attestations that were allegedly completed and stamped by Damari with a fraudulent stamp‚ which described him as Dr MN Damari.
“When an investigation into the allegations commenced in 2012‚ Damari resigned as an employee of the city. It is astonishing that the investigation into this serious matter was allowed to persist for so long‚” Mashaba said. -