WESTERN CAPE – Former attorney and conveyancer Rugaya Van Der Schyff (57) was nabbed by the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in Cape Town yesterday on a warrant of arrest, for charges of fraud and theft in excess of R500 000.

She was struck off from the roll of attorney in 2017 following an interdict application which was lodged in 2016 and was subsequently arrested on the 28 March 2019 for misappropriating almost R4.8 million from a trust fund. Van Der Schyff was released on R20 000 bail on these fraud charges.

Additional to this, she allegedly continued facilitating offers to purchase several properties from 2019, to date, knowing fully well her exclusion from her professional practise handed down by the Western Cape High Court.

These new allegations maintained the impression that she was an attorney and conveyancer entitled to practice as such. She allegedly misled the community which resulted in their financial detriment. The misappropriation was done in her professional capacity as an additional duty of care and diligence in dealing with the transfer of properties and the Registrar of Deeds.

Van der Schyff appeared in the Strand Magistrate Court on Friday, 21 October 2022 and the case was remanded to the 27 October 2022 for a formal bail application.

Source: South African Police Service