Top cop among 15 accused of PPE fraud
A BUSINESSMAN and a brigadier were denied bail after they failed to provide exceptional circumstances to warrant their release.
Kishene Chetty and Brigadier James Ramanjalum, a former police manager within supply chain management at the SAPS, are among 15 accused who appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court in Johannesburg last Tuesday.
They are accused of fraudulently acquiring personal protective equipment (PPE) through contracts worth about R1.9 million for the SAPS.
During the bail proceedings, it emerged they had allegedly committed further corruption in unrelated matters while out on bail.
Bail of R20000 each was, however, granted to their co-accused: Lorette Joubert, Kumarasen Prithiviraj, Volan Prithiviraj, Maricha Joubert, former police officers Ramahlapi Mokwena, Lesetja Mogotlane, Veeran Naipal, Alpheus Makhetha and Kysamula Mabasa, and a SAPS clerk Marcell Marney.
Fellow co-accused, retired police officer Isaac Ngobeni, serving police officer Stephinah Mahlangu and Salamina Khoza, were released on bail a week earlier after the State chose not to oppose their bail.
The 15 accused were arrested on February 7 on allegations of having caused a supplier to unduly benefit from the procurement of latex gloves in April 2020 for the SAPS. They were charged with theft, fraud, forgery and corruption.
The arrests follow an investigation into the capture of the SAPS procurement and supply chain to aid front companies getting contracts and facilitate kickbacks to SAPS senior officials.
Sindisiwe Seboka, the spokesperson for the NPA Investigating Directorate (ID), said this was the sixth case by the ID that investigated corruption within the SAPS.
During the bail application, prosecutor Tilas Chabalala read out an affidavit by the investigating officer, Suneel Bellochum. He addressed accused 1 (Chetty), who he named as the ringleader.
According to the affidavit, Chetty had failed to disclose to the court his business interests and companies registered under his name at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission.
The 26 companies included Bambanani, Semi-Build, Serang, Mafuta Marketing Solutions, Impokane General Trade and Distribution, Vatika, Kgotho, Umbanatie, and Super Stationery.
According to the affidavit, tenders were allegedly fraudulently awarded to Chetty, who paid police officers in the supply chain unit.
Bellochum said the SAPS paid Mafuta Marketing Solutions R3.9 million. The company, he claimed, was owned by Chetty, whose sole director was co-accused Prithiviraj, before it was registered under his ex-wife’s name.
Chetty’s girlfriend was allegedly the sole director of Impokane General Trade and Distribution as well as Vatika before it was transferred to co-accused Joubert.
Bellochum said the contracts were awarded under the influence of the co-accused then police officers Mokoena, Ramajalum, Naipal, Makhetha, Marney and Mabasa.
“Our investigation revealed that Chetty was running a criminal enterprise made up of several companies under people who were fronting for him.”
It was alleged Chetty submitted fraudulent BBBEE certificates in bid documents to the SAPS.
Those who were granted bail had to hand over their passports and have no contact with potential State witnesses.