Investments: man denied bail, second arrest imminent
A KWADUKUZA (Stanger) man who allegedly duped investors into parting with millions of rand was denied bail this week.
He will spend Ramadaan in Westville Prison.
Many alleged victims came to see Ahmed Omarjee, 33, appear in the KwaDukuza magistrate’s court.
Accused of defrauding hundreds of people in a R150 million tender scheme, he allegedly approached people, claiming to have secured lucrative contracts with the Newcastle municipality to provide submersible water pumps.
He offered a 10 to 30 percent return on investment.
Newcastle mayor Afzul Rehman said no such contracts existed.
Omarjee vanished in November as pictures of his extravagant lifestyle, including first class travel, circulated on social media. He also shared memes of himself on Facebook.
His lawyer, Wesley John Rogers, said a bail bid had been abandoned “for certain reasons, which are in Ahmed’s best interests at this point”.
He added: “The allegations are disputed, so there will be no admission of guilt.”
“People are suffering and have lost their life savings because of him,” said an investor who did not want to be named.
On the Sunday Tribune Herald Facebook page, the Stanger community reacted to Omarjee’s jailing.
Azhar Bassa commented: “So many people have been left with nothing.”
Sugan Nair said: “How do you live with yourself ?”
In a new twist to the case, sources close to the investigation have revealed that a man known to Omarjee is also under investigation and faces arrest.