Under arrest
Former Bayede Foundation CEO faces multiple fraud charges
FORMER Bayede Foundation CEO Rhana Naicker has been charged with multiple cases of fraud and forgery, totalling R650 000.
Naicker has been remanded in police custody awaiting her bail application in the Richards Bay Magistrate's Court today (Thursday).
The 56-year-old, who has been involved in several community organisations, was charged with defrauding a local company between 2016 and 2017 by convincing them they were investing in a land development scheme.
Naicker also faces charges of fraud and forgery with co-accused Ndabezinhle Luthuli in a matter which has been before the Durban Commercial Crime Court since 2018.
Using a similar modus operandi, it is alleged the two scammed investors out of R2.5-million.
For the latest case, Naicker was arrested and charged on Monday, making a brief court appearance on Tuesday alongside her coaccused Adriel 'Joey' Vadiveloo. The third accused, Ravi Naidoo, was charged later.
The trio will make their bail applications on the same day.
The case is being investigated by section head of Saps Commercial Crimes King Cetshwayo, Lieutenant Colonel VC Pillay.
It is alleged that Naicker teamed up with her co-accused in 2016, pretending to be representatives of the Ingonyama Trust Board to defraud and misrepresent the Makasa Community Trust.
Naicker invited potential investors to buy into a fictitious business opportunity to erect a shopping centre development, and then fled with the funds.
The scam involved making investors believe they would benefit from the proposed land development scheme, however, the lease agreement was fictitious and there was no intention to facilitate the development.
The accused allegedly defrauded the complainants Simivert (Pty) LTD, who believed they had entered into an agreement as developers with the Makasa Community Trust, on four occasions to the tune of R650 000.
They were instructed that the trust wanted the funds as a gift for the lease, but the money was actually paid into the personal bank accounts of the accused.
Naicker has been an active community leader, championing the needs of the poor and campaigning for awareness on HIV/Aids and social ills through her former position as CEO of the Bayede Foundation.
She resigned from the position in early 2020.