The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has welcomed the arrest of advocate Hassan Ebrahim Kajee, a lawyer for the Office of the State Attorney.
He was arrested by the Hawks on Saturday on charges of fraud.
On Monday, Kajee, who was appointed to represent the State in various cases, appeared in the Johannesburg Regional Court.
He was granted R20 000 bail, and his case was postponed to 25 May.
According to the SIU, he allegedly inflated invoices, invoiced for services not rendered and overcharged for services rendered. “Furthermore, advocate Kajee [allegedly] would bill that he worked more hours daily than actual hours in the day and invoiced for work on different matters simultaneously.”
The SIU referred evidence of criminal conduct to the National Prosecuting Authority for further action, leading to Kajee’s arrest.
The SIU said it was mandated to probe certain allegations in respect of the affairs of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development as it related to the Office of the State Attorney.
It added it was pursuing a civil case in the Special Tribunal against Kajee to recover approximately R27 million for damages the state suffered “because of an alleged corrupt and collusive relationship between himself and a former high-ranking member of the Office of the State Attorney”.
Source: News 24
