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The case involving former Newcastle Municipality employee, Dedre van Rooyen continues, despite being set to conclude on Wednesday, 28 September 2022.
Van Rooyen appeared before the Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Wednesday for sentencing. However, court proceedings came to a halt with KZN Regional Spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority Natasha Kara explaining, “The matter was remanded to 20 October 2022 for one more witness prior to sentencing.”
If you can recall, the debacle involving van Rooyen began in 2020 after she was taken into custody on 22 October 2020 for defrauding the Newcastle Municipality out of approximately R3.1 million. She was granted bail of R50 000.
Following her arrest, Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase explained that van Rooyen had been linked to the Budget and Treasury Office at the Newcastle Municipality.
Due to their findings, Lieutenant Colonel Nkwalase added that the Hawks National Clean Audit Task Team arrested her on 22 October 2020, with van Rooyen subsequently appearing before the Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court on the same day.
The Hawks preliminary investigation revealed that van Rooyen had allegedly been withdrawing a second salary from the Newcastle Municipality from February 2012 until June 2020.
During this said period, van Rooyen was responsible for payroll functions, which included the payment of salaries. She was one of the supervisors that oversaw the day-to-day running of the salaries for the Newcastle Municipality.
With this said, Newcastillian News reported on the matter at which time, the KZN Regional Spokesperson, Natasha Kara pointed out that the State’s case was focused on van Rooyen manipulating the Municipality’s payroll system out of a large sum of money.
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With the legal teams and van Rooyen now waiting in anticipation for the next trial date, where the final witness will hold sway on her sentencing, what are your thoughts on the matter?
Share your views in the comment section below.
She is married to a SAPS CAPTAIN. Now undercover away from Newcastle and all the “eyes”. Wondering if found guilty will it affect his SAPS RANK.