An African Bank employee, allegedly part of a syndicate that made false loan applications, received a slap on the wrist this week for failing to appear in court.
Lulama Jack, the son of popular rugby television personality Makhaya Jack, allegedly colluded with two others, including an ex-Ellerines furniture store employee, to take out four false loans totalling R118,000.
The Port Elizabeth businessman must also stand trial separately on March 11 for allegedly trying to defraud the taxman out of more than R230,000.
In that matter, Jack, the owner of Jack’s XP Trading CC, allegedly forged nine invoices and presented them to the South African Revenue Service (Sars) in respect of input VAT for the September 2014 tax period.
The charge sheet details how Jack had employed Mpumelelo Dibi to submit VAT returns. When these returns were audited Jack supplied Sars with nine invoices, all allegedly forged.
In the Ellerines matter, the prosecution claims that Jack and his co-accused in the matter, Bongani Maqungu and Nompumeleleo Ludziya, conspired to have “loans” – allegedly for Ellerines clients – paid into their own bank accounts .
Clients of Ellerines who required a loan could complete an application form which was then sent to African Bank Limited for approval.
Ludziya, a former Ellerines employee, has since pleaded guilty to her role in the fraud.
Jack failed to appear in the Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes Court and was arrested.
He was found guilty of failing to appear at court and sentenced to a fine of R500 or 25 days in prison.
He was released on bail of R2,000, with his case provisionally postponed to March 7 for a trial date to be arranged.