East London Business Man Arrested???

[canthover]

A radio report yesterday indicated that a prominent East London business man was arrested for allegedly defrauding the government of more than a million rands on a helicopter ambulance contract.

Anyone else heard this report??

[canthover]

MONDE Baleka, the owner of Supreme Ambulance Services, whom police said they had arrested yesterday, laughed at the news.

"I am at home. Call me on my home phone number," he told the Daily Dispatch. He then answered his home phone number.

Baleka has been in the spotlight recently over unpaid monies for emergency ambulance helicopters leased to the Eastern Cape government, in a row which led to the craft being grounded.

Police spokesperson Captain Percy Morokane, for the office of divisional commissioner Johan de Beer, said a warrant for the arrest of the businessman, whom he said was the sole director of Supreme Ambulance Services, was issued by the Mthatha Magistrate's Court.

Morokane's statement said that a 53-year-old Eastern Cape businessman was arrested at his East London residence early yesterday on fraud and theft charges.

It said the arrest followed an investigation started in December 2003.

Baleka confirmed that he was the sole director of Supreme Ambulance Services.

"But I don't know anything about an arrest," he added.

Morokane said it was alleged that the arrested man committed unlawful criminal acts while rendering services under contract to the Eastern Cape Department of Health between 2002 and 2005.

"Losses to the state are estimated at approximately R1 million," he said.

When he was told that the Dispatch had spoken to Baleka, Morokane said the police stood by their statement.

Roland Granger, of National Airways Corporation, who provided the helicopters to Supreme, said he had heard from his pilot in Mthatha about Baleka's arrest.

He said Baleka was supposed to have flown with one of the helicopters to Mthatha yesterday morning to attend a demonstration at the Nelson Mandela Hospital for visiting United States and German dignitaries.

However, he said Baleka had cancelled his trip.

He said in the light of the police statement NAC had asked for an urgent meeting with the Health Department.

"We cannot carry on like this. We will in future deal directly with the department."

According to the police statement the arrested man was expected to appear in the Mthatha Magistrate's Court yesterday, but a court spokesperson said there was no such case. Police later said he would appear today.

Morokane said the man was facing charges of theft, fraud and contravention of various tax laws.

"This arrest is a signal to those who think that their nefarious and criminal acts will go unnoticed, to expect no mercy from our eagle-eyed detectives," said Morokane.

Later yesterday Baleka's cellphone was switched off and he did not respond to messages. Someone answering his home phone number said he had gone to Mthatha.

[bendix]

:suspect: Monde out on R 35,000 bail was arrested for tax evasion:suspect:
bendix:ok:

[rototq]

not surprised in the least if one looks at the ems industry locally and how it has spun out of control totally of recent; what ever happended to the pros that used to fly echo1 flight for life

sounds like stinky stuff again down in eastern cape!

[bendix]

It is all part of the "new South Africa" you cannot get government contracts without working through a third-party. NAC are in for a surprise if they think they can work directly with the government.One local operator is still owed R 300,000 by one of these in - betweens. :sad: :sad:



bendix:ok: