PORT ELIZABETH - COMPUTERS & DOCUMENTS SEIZED AFTER HAWKS RAID NMB STADIUM OPERATORS OFFICES

Priority crime unit the Hawks raided the offices of Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium operators Access Management yesterday, intensifying their probe into allegations of money laundering and fraud.

Members of the Anti-Corruption Task Team and the Cyber Crime Unit confiscated computers and piles of documents after obtaining a warrant from the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court.

The swoop on Access stems from a criminal case opened by Nelson Mandela Bay Ratepayers’ Association chairman Kobus Gerber for corruption in January, as well as a high court case instituted by the association and AfriForum.

Gerber believes that Access was being used as a gateway through which millions of rands of taxpayers’ money were funnelled to various outlets, including the Eastern Province Rugby Union (EPRU).

However, Access’s attorney, Danie Gouws, fobbed off the midday raid as nothing more than a publicity stunt by Gerber.

Yesterday’s raid was one of the first visible moves from law enforcement agencies pointing to its probe into allegations of fraud related to the city’s notorious bus system and the stadium operator.

The metro has in the past launched forensic investigations, and subsequently suspended municipal officials, but there was never a strong indication that the Hawks were involved.

VIA - heraldlive.co.za