Durban - An eManzimtoti businesswoman accused of defrauding local businesses out of millions of rand by posing as a Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) official was remanded in custody this week after she was arrested in Cape Town.
Michayla Kogie Mentoor, 48, who was on the run for several months, was arrested in Bishops Court by the Hawks. After her arrest, she was transferred to Durban and appeared in the Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Wednesday.
The Hawks confirmed a warrant of arrest was issued for Mentoor at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court in 2013, after similar allegations with potential losses of more than R60 million.
Her family is well known for owning an auto spares workshop in Amanzimtoti. Mentoor is also listed as a director of 13 other companies.
She allegedly committed the fraud using her financial services company.
Police claimed she was on the run for two years and could not be traced.
One victim, a Durban businessman who asked not to be named, said Mentoor swindled him out of more than R3m.
“I cannot express how grateful we are that she has finally been arrested. Justice must prevail. Kogie’s husband presented himself as a pastor to me and I took his word for everything the couple said to us,” he said.
Another Durban businessman said he too had been duped out of hundreds of thousands of rand by the suspect. He would not disclose the exact amount.
The businessman said the suspect had presented what appeared to be genuine DTI documents before he handed over the money.
Mentoor’s husband, Carl, apologised to clients who have been affected negatively by the ordeal.
He said he was traumatised by the arrest and all that transpired over the past week. He said he was concerned about his wife as she has several health complications.
“We are also shocked by the amounts being mentioned by the police as we have no knowledge of the R60m,” said Mentoor.
Michayla Mentoor will appear in Durban’s Specialised Commercial Crime Court this week for a formal bail application.
The court has heard that the state intends to oppose bail as Mentoor is accused of a Schedule Five offence.