Durban - One of the directors of Aqua Transport and Plant Hire and his co-accused, an engineer, appeared in the Pietermaritzburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court today on charges of fraud and corruption.
The Hawks said Vasuthevan Naicker, 56, of Aqua Transport and Plant Hire appeared in court with Stephen Cahi, 53, for allegedly defrauding the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport.
Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) spokesperson Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said a case of fraud and corruption was reported at the Pietermaritzburg police station.
He said Naicker and Cahi were arrested on Thursday, September 15, after the case docket was allocated to the Hawks members from Durban Serious Corruption Investigation.
Mhlongo said that during the period 2010 to 2013, Aqua Transport and Plant Hire Pty Ltd was awarded a contract to supply plant equipment for the upgrade of a road in the Nongoma area.
“Cahi who is an engineer allegedly inflated the plant hire hours, as a result the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport was allegedly defrauded of more than R1.6 million,” he said.
Mhlongo said both Naicker and Cahi were released on R10 000.00 bail each.
He said the case was postponed to October 12, 2022.
The Hawks said more arrests are expected.