GAUTENG – The Pretoria Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team has secured a court appearance for two individuals facing numerous charges related to theft and fraud, and courts have granted several forfeiture orders in separate criminal cases.

According to South African Police Service (SAPS), Tyrone Pillay, aged 48, and Quinton James, aged 49, were brought before the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on 03 December 2013. The pair, formerly maintenance contractors for AMKA, are accused of submitting fraudulent invoices totaling R5 million over a six-year period, for work never performed.

The fraudulent invoices were reportedly paid out by AMKA, with the accused sharing the proceeds. Both were granted bail at R10,000 each, with the case adjourned to 14 November 2023.

In a different matter, the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court issued a forfeiture order against Okechukwu Livingston in a Sunnyside case. Livingston was apprehended during an undercover operation after attempting to bribe police officials for the release of his brother. The court has ordered the forfeiture of R20,000 seized during his arrest.

Further, the Johannesburg High Court granted a forfeiture order in a drug dealing case after the Hawks intercepted a truck from Mozambique carrying drugs. Surveillance led to a search where cash and drugs were seized, resulting in the driver’s arrest.

Lastly, in Johannesburg, an entrapment operation led to the seizure of two Toyota Fortuner vehicles used by Arfan Ahmed, head of a criminal syndicate that corrupted officials within the Department of Home Affairs. The vehicles, identified as instruments of crime, were preserved and subsequently forfeited by a High Court order.