A fraud and corruption case involving the Amathole district municipality and the Miss Amathole Heritage beauty pageant continued to play out in the East London Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The Hawks yesterday arrested the younger sister of Nkonkobe ANC ward councillor Nanziwe Rulashe, and added her name to the list of accused.
Anita Rulashe, 24, has been charged with fraud in connection with the R2.5-million scandal and appeared in court yesterday alongside her sister, ADM mayor Nomasikizi Konza, Sigcinile Saba and Mawande Njeza.
The older Rulashe was also arrested yesterday in connection with a warrant issued on July 11 on charges that relate to her not disclosing a past conviction and pending case during her bail application.
She yesterday admitted to having stolen a chocolate bar in Cape Town on August 4 2004 for which she was convicted and fined R1500 or three months’ imprisonment, suspended for three years.
Rulashe also disclosed she has a pending case of fraud which is being investigated by the Commercial Crimes Unit in Pretoria.
She will appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court for this case on August 29.
Rulashe was arrested and appeared in court in March 2009 where she was released on bail of R5000.
Attorney Mike Maseti appeared on behalf of the sisters. Advocate Diniso Ketani appeared on behalf of the National Prosecuting Authority.
Ketani said the prosecution was satisfied with her submission and the matter would go to trial. Rulashe was released on the same bail she was granted on May 23. Her bail conditions remained the same.
Charges of lying under oath were added to the charges against Konza yesterday. The mayor’s name was called out twice in court and both cases – the one of perjury and another for fraud and corruption – were postponed to September 5 as Konza’s defence team asked to be furnished with copies of the court transcript.
The matter relates to her bail application on May 23.
Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, said Konza and Rulashe allegedly defrauded the district municipality of more than R2.5-million under the pretext of funding the annual Miss Amathole Heritage beauty pageant.
Mulaudzi said the money, which the accused had claimed would cover the costs for accommodation, a gala dinner, marketing, venue hire and other logistics, was paid in two instalments into separate bank accounts, one of which had Rulashe as a signatory.
Investigations revealed that after each payment, Rulashe had allegedly bought herself a car. The funds were allegedly transferred into their personal accounts, as well as those of Sigcinile Saba and Mawande Njeza, who were also in court yesterday. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za