A woman suspected in R17-million Eskom-related fraud was freed on R10 000 bail on Wednesday.

Jaqueline Legoabe appeared in the Pretoria specialised commercial crimes court on Wednesday on charges of contravening tax laws where she was freed on bail.

She had been arrested in arrangement with her lawyer by the NPA investigating directorate (ID) together with SARS and processed by Brooklyn police for fraud and contravention of the Tax Administration Act for personal and company tax.

ID spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka said: “Legoabe, director of Titan E-Services (Pty) Ltd, was in the dock for defrauding SARS of more than R17.7-million in tax between 2015 and 2020.”

She said Legoabe faced 30 counts of fraud for allegedly failing to declare and misrepresenting her personal income and that of Titan on her returns.

“The accused was legally obligated and compelled to submit an annual tax return for the periods stipulated as published in the Government Gazette.

“The ID and SARS are dealing with the matter because the fraud alleged stems from proceeds that are derived from alleged Eskom looting.”

Seboka said the ID-SARS investigation discovered Eskom subcontractors channelled money to the accused accounts.

“As the ID along with SARS, we have been hard at work to ensure we bring to book many matters in which state capture has taken place.”

Legoabe is expected to appear in court on March 28.

In January, the Hawks and SARS signed a new memorandum of understanding to promote the exchange of information between them, joint initiatives and more effective operational arrangements in line with financial action task force requirements.

The memo was signed by national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola, Hawks head Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya and SARS commissioner Edward Kieswetter.

“This accord boosts law enforcement agencies’ ability to combat corruption, tax evasion, money laundering and other financial crimes. It further strengthens the national financial intelligence system,” the law enforcement agencies said.

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