3 held for RAF fraud

2003-06-09 13:00

Durban - The KwaZulu-Natal task team investigating Road Accident Fund (RAF) fraud have arrested two men and a woman at their houses in Pietermaritzburg on charges of fraud, police said on Monday.

Following several months of investigation, the team, including a private investigator, discovered that a certain Victor James, 55, had allegedly acted as a curator for two people and submitted a claim totalling R4m.

James alleged in his claims that his son, Nile James, 27, who had an accident in May 1999 and Gloria Ann Schoeman, 53, who had an accident in 1996, were disabled and incapable of handling their own affairs.

All three have allegedly committed potential fraud after claims for Neil and Gloria of R1.2m and R2.8m respectively were submitted to the fund, police spokesman Superintendent Vish Naidoo said.

When detectives swooped on Sunday, they also seized various items including video material, documents and accounts which could be used as evidence.

All three were charged and they were expected to appear in the Durban magistrate's court later on Monday.

- SAPA