The accused allegedly benefited to the tune of R1.5 million from the Vaalbos Community Trust.
AN ACCUSED in a fraud, corruption and perjury case was warned to re-appear in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court after appearing on Tuesday for allegedly benefiting to the tune of R1.5 million from the Vaalbos Community Trust.
Hawks Northern Cape provincial spokesperson Nomthandazo Mnisi said the accused, Joseph Fletcher, 63, was not in custody and was expected to appear in court again on June 5.
The accused allegedly misrepresented himself to the Department of Minerals and Energy, where he claimed that he was authorised to enter into an agreement to prospect on behalf of the Vaalbos Community Trust.
The application was made for sole prospecting and mining rights at Drooge Veldt near Kimberley.
The Hawks in 2009 also investigated an incident in which the accused was involved in an accident. It was discovered that he lied when he claimed in an affidavit that he was not driving the vehicle at the time of the accident.
