Mohamed Ismail Admajee, a 44-year-old axed Cell C executive, was remanded in custody after he appeared before the Palm Ridge Commercial Crimes Court, on Friday.
Cell C exec ordered to stay behind bars
Admajee faces fraud charges in a tender scam that saw Cell C lose R64 million between 2012 and 2019 due to his alleged theft.
On Wednesday, the Hawks swooped in for the former IT manager, putting an end to an investigation that lifted the lid on years of siphoning that went unnoticed.
In a police statement, Hawks spokesperson Captain Lloyd Ramovha explained that an internal audit conducted earlier this year by Cell C unveiled inadequacies in agreements made between the mobile network and the contracted provider.
“It is alleged that during the period 2012 to 2019, he colluded with a director of a contracted entity responsible for IT and network services at his workplace. They reportedly inflated invoices which resulted in an actual loss of over R64 million to Cell C,” Capt. Ramovha revealed.
‘More arrests are expected’ – Hawks
Admajee’s court appearance was brief. The 44-year-old’s fraud case was registered and matters were rescheduled for Tuesday 26 January 2021, where he’s expected to submit a formal bail application.
The Hawks made no mention of the exec’s accomplice, a man who remains unidentified. However, Capt. Ramovha did confirm that “more arrests are expected.”
“The National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya commended the team for the arrest and looks forward to seeing all those involved have their day in court.,” the spokesperson said.