Durban - An emotional mother wanted her two daughters to know that the charge of R1.7 million fraud she laid against them could have been avoided some time ago had they not ignored her telephone calls.
“Their mother wanted them to know these are the consequences of their actions,” said senior prosecutor Kuveshni Pillay in court on Thursday. “This could have been resolved.”
It is alleged sisters Anisa Sayed, 38, of Phoenix, and Zaahidah Khan, 31, from Westville, had transferred money, on various occasions, from their mother’s bank account into two separate accounts without the mother’s knowledge or consent.
It is further alleged this money was from their father’s retirement lump sum.
Their father had been a senior manager at the Department of Health and had died on December 25 last year.
The sisters indicated they had already made travel plans to go on a religious pilgrimage next month, but when their mother was asked if she would agree to this, should they be released on bail, the mother said it would be unfair.
“Their mother said the accused probably paid for the trip with her stolen money and it would not be right to go on pilgrimage while she suffered. Her extended family are now supporting her,” said Pillay.
Pillay told magistrate Mahomed Motala the State did not opposed bail.
Both daughters were arrested on Wednesday.
Sayed cried on the steps to the holding cells at the Durban Magistrate’s Court while her sister sat inside the courtroom with her walker, while her wheelchair was left outside the courtroom.
Khan told the court she had undergone a series of operations since 2012.
According to Sayed’s affidavit in support of bail, she indicated that she would plead not guilty to the charge.
Married with two minor children, Sayed said her main source of income was a disability grant she received from her former employer.
Khan was married with four minor children. She said she was still breastfeeding her youngest child, a one-year-old.
Both women said their children had been traumatised by their arrest.
They also claimed that four days after their father’s death, the two sisters, their brothers and mother entered into a written redistribution agreement.
According to the sisters, they were to receive a sum of money; the brothers would receive other property and the mother would receive a pension benefit from the estate.
Following this agreement, they claimed, their mother paid each daughter their share.
The mother had asked for her share of the money in cash and the one brother received money and their father’s car, while the other received money and the family home.
Before granting bail of R20 000 each, the magistrate said this was an “unfortunate situation involving family money that spiralled out of control”.
He agreed with the women’s mother who said she felt they could not go on a pilgrimage overseas soon after being released on bail.
On their release, the women were required to hand over their passports and other travel documents, as well as the logbooks of vehicles bought this year.
The matter was adjourned until January 17.