A former logistics manager in Durban has been sentenced to eight years of direct imprisonment after he was convicted of fraud, corruption, and money laundering involving R24 million.
The Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court handed down the sentence.
Rakesh Maharaj, 46, a former logistics manager at a medical equipment management company, was found guilty of manipulating stock levels and creating fraudulent invoices between January 2015 and September 2017.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, which is also known as the Hawks, said the court had heard that Maharaj colluded with accomplices to generate false purchase orders and delivery notes, resulting in millions being paid to suppliers for goods that were never required.
"They allegedly created a requirement for certain products in order to purchase more stock," said Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo.
Maharaj was arrested in November 2021 after a fraud case was reported at Cato Manor police station, and the matter was handed over to the Hawks' Durban Serious Corruption Investigation unit.
His sentencing includes 10 years for fraud, with two years suspended for three years; 10 years for corruption, with two years also suspended for three years; and five years for money laundering, wholly suspended for three years.
His sentences will run concurrently, resulting in an effective sentence of eight years in prison.
KwaZulu-Natal Hawks Provincial Head, Major General Lesetja Senona, praised the investigative team.
"We welcome the sentence and congratulate the members for the good work," he said.
Other accused in the same matter Oleena Dauchand, 51, and Debi George, 61, are on trial. Their case is back in court on October 30.
The Mercury