Cape Town – A former hotel manager who faces an array of charges has been granted bail in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court.
Tinomudashe Samuel Chitonga was granted R20 000 bail on Thursday.
According to the spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Zinzi Hani, Chitonga faces charges ranging from fraud, cyber fraud, cyber forgery, uttering, and theft.
Chitonga was the general manager of the Boutique Hotel in Camps Bay.
Hani said Chitonga was arrested by members of the Cape Town Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team on Tuesday, this week.
“Chitonga was arrested after he allegedly defrauded the hotel of more than R1.1 million.
“It is reported that between August 2021 and February 2023, the accused accessed various online bookings and changed the banking details to his personal bank account,” Hani said.
She said the investigation revealed Chitonga is alleged to have used the hotel account to defraud the business by laundering the stolen money into his personal account.
The case has been postponed until May 19.
In a separate incident, a 37-year-old man is expected back in the Worcester Magistrate’s Court on charges of contravening the Drug Trafficking Act.
He was arrested after the Hawks’ South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau and Crime Intelligence Counter Narcotics conducted an operation after receiving information about a bakkie that was transporting drugs.
“A Chevrolet utility bakkie was intercepted on the N7 highway in Moorreesburg, with assistance from the Vredenburg traffic officials.
“The vehicle was searched and 13 000 mandrax tablets were found concealed on the side compartments and in the speakers. The value of the drugs is approximately R520 000,” Hani said.
Previously, the same suspect was granted R50 000 bail on another matter where he was found with 70 000 mandrax tablets in Worcester in December last year.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL