DURBAN – The Hawk’s Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit in Durban has served a summons on a 34-year-old suspect to appear before the Pinetown Magistrates Court on 10 June on a charge of fraud relating to the alleged purchase of a high-end Range Rover Sport.

Warrant Officer Sibu Ncane, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks in KwaZulu-Natal, said the summons, served on Tuesday, followed evidence gathered during an investigation by the elite crime-fighting unit. According to Ncane, the suspect reportedly contacted a sales representative at Land Rover Hillcrest on 1 June 2023 to purchase a new Range Rover Sport valued at more than R3 million, proposing a cash transaction.

“The sales representative prepared the purchase documents and forwarded them to the suspect, along with SMG’s banking details. The following day, the suspect allegedly submitted a fraudulent proof of payment, purportedly from Investec Bank, claiming the transfer was instantaneous and requesting immediate delivery of the vehicle,” said Ncane.

Ncane said the sales representative advised the suspect that the vehicle would only be released once the funds were confirmed in the SMG account. “In the days that followed, no payment was reflected, and the suspect stopped responding to all communication. A verification check with Investec Bank subsequently confirmed the proof of payment as fraudulent. The potential financial loss to the company is estimated at R3,290,361,” he said.

Ncane said a fraud case was subsequently reported at Hillcrest Police Station and later referred to the Hawks for further investigation. “Following a thorough investigation, the suspect was served with a summons to appear in court,” he said.