GAUTENG – The Gauteng Acting Provincial Head, Brigadier Sekelama Lewele commends the outstanding efforts displayed by the investigation team on fraud allegations against company Directors involving approximately R125 million of unauthorised debit orders.

The additional arrest was effected on Sunday, 27 February 2022 at the OR Tambo International Airport where the second accused on this matter, Jason Foster (39), the Director of both Durban based call centre companies, Blue Debit and Talent Base, had just landed from England.

It is alleged that between November 2018 and February 2019, Foster and his co-accused, who was released on bail in November last year, Richard Marsden (51), created fraudulent bank payment system to collect debit orders for call centres which resulted to unauthorised debit orders to be loaded.

Warrant of arrests were obtained for both Directors to be apprehended. Police circulated the accused on the local and international boarder movement control system.

Further investigation revealed that an amount of R125 million was transferred into different bank accounts, including that of Foster and Marsden.

The matter was referred to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in Johannesburg for further investigation which led to the arrest of Marsden in October last year at the Cape Town International Airport, also landed from England.

Foster appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court yesterday and was granted a R30 000-00 bail.

Both Foster and Marsden are expected back in court on 27 May 2022 for further investigation.

Outstanding suspects are sought by the police.

Source: South African Police Service