Five suspects, accused of defrauding a water treatment and liquid waste management company, have been released on bail after they were arrested earlier this week. 

The accused, Faldelah Sumsodien, 59, David Roland Lethem, 54, Adiebah Hendricks, 55,  Mogamat Zain Sumsodien, 65, and Taahir Samsodien, 24, allegedly siphoned funds from the company to the tune of R10 million.

They now face a mountain of 168 criminal charges. 

Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani confirmed that the suspects were arrested in a take-down operation between Grassy Park and Edgemead during the early hours of February 4. 

They appeared in court on the same day.

Hani said: “Five suspects appeared in the Muizenberg Magistrate’s Court on February 4 on 168 fraud and money laundering charges. (They) were arrested by members of the Bellville Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team during a disruptive operation conducted at different addresses between Grassy Park and Edgemead.” 

All the accused were released on bail. Faldelah was released on R20,000 bail, while Lethem was granted R10,000 bail. Hendricks, Mogamat, and Taahir were each released on R5,000 bail.

Hani said the arrests are linked to alleged fraud in July 2024, where financial manager Lethem and Faldelah, as financial administrator, both previously employed at NuWater Systems (Pty) Ltd, loaded and authorised fraudulent payments using NuWater Systems business online banking. 

“Investigations revealed that Faldelah received more money from the payments. Furthermore, investigations revealed that when these fraudulent payments were loaded, NuWater Systems was used as the recipient, but the account number could not match that of the said supplier. Due to these payments, NuWater Systems (Pty) Ltd suffered an actual loss of more than R10 million,” said Hani. 

The matter against all the accused has been remanded to March 26 to be transferred to Wynberg Regional Court. 

 chevon.booysen@inl.co.za

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