The National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit in Johannesburg obtained a provisional Restraint Order against Branden Ruth Moshabane on 16 May 2017. The order was served on her on 19 May 2017.
Moshabane was arrested on 11 April 2017 on charges of fraud and/or theft from MTN where she is employed as an accountant. Her next court appearance is on 20 June 2017 in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, Johannesburg.
The charges stem from offences committed during August 2011 to April 2017. The State alleges that the accused defrauded her employer in an amount approximating R 50 million.
The restrained property includes numerous immovable properties, motor vehicles, bank accounts, investments and other valuables. Financial analyses indicated that she had attempted to conceal ownership of property in the names of third parties and had also made gifts and loans to third parties some of whom have been cited as respondents. The concealed property has been identified. The gifts and the loans will be recouped by the court appointed curator.
The order obtained is as a result of excellent co-operation between the NPA and other law enforcement agencies. This case reinforces law enforcements’ commitment to ensuring that no person should benefit from crime. Property concealed in third party’s names and property gifted to third parties from the proceeds of crime, is not out of reach of the law.
Asset forfeiture remains an effective law enforcement mechanism to ensure that no person should benefit from crime and to ensure that crime does not pay.
