Fraud accused is free to go

The multimillion-rand fraud and corruption case against a Waterfall Investment Company employee and a Johannesburg Water employee has been postponed by the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.

Irving Steyn, Yvette Scheepers and Faisel Abrahams were the accused in the matter.

However, yesterday prosecutor Richard Chabalala told the court that the charges against Scheepers had been dropped. He requested a postponement for further investigations.

Magistrate Brian Nemavhidi postponed the matter to November 29.

Lawyer Kuvashen Padayachee, representing Scheepers, said: “Scheepers has resigned from Waterfall Investment Company as she didn’t believe that she would get a fair hearing since the company refused to respond to a request for further particulars in any detail.

“Nor did they supplement the bundle of evidence which the company intended to use at the hearing with documents which our clients considered necessary for purposes of holding a fair hearing.

“It was becoming apparent to us that the company sought to make our client a scapegoat.

“The decision by the state to withdraw the charges ... speaks volumes.”

Scheepers, who was accompanied by her family, was visibly excited after charges against her were withdrawn.

Steyn and Abrahams are out on bail of R5 000 each.

In May, the City of Joburg said it had obtained R8.2 million from Waterfall Investment Company, which owns Waterfall Estate – the company accused of stealing water using illegally installed meters. – ANA