Ex-Bay communications boss arrested for ‘failing to pay back the money’

Roland Williams, second from left, with his wife, Shahnaz, and lawyer Kuban Chetty after a day in court in 2018
ON TRIAL: Roland Williams, second from left, with his wife, Shahnaz, and lawyer Kuban Chetty after a day in court in 2018
Image: WERNER HILLS

Former Nelson Mandela Bay communications director  Roland Williams has been arrested for allegedly breaching the terms of his fraud sentence.

Williams appeared in the Port Elizabeth Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday morning after allegedly failing to pay back money he owed to Santam.  

This after he was arrested earlier in the day by the serious commercial crime investigation unit of the Hawks at his home in Port Elizabeth.

In May 2018, Williams was to sentenced to 36 months of correctional supervision, a suspended four-year prison sentence, fined R30,000 and instructed to pay back the R96,000 he defrauded Santam.

He was ordered to pay back Santam through monthly instalments of R3,500 from May 3 2018 to May 31 2020.

Santam submitted an affidavit to the state reporting that the last payment he made to them was on October 2019 and that he owed them R40,000.

In January 2018, Williams pleaded guilty to insurance fraud after he falsely claimed more than R115,000 in insurance for an accident that did not happen.

Williams deliberately caused extensive damage to his BMW to put in a claim to defraud Santam after he  experienced engine problems with his car.

Hawks spokesperson Anelisa Ngcakani confirmed Williams arrest. She said he would appear in court again on Tuesday to apply for legal aid.

He was granted R1,000 bail on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s court appearance. 

HeraldLIVE


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