Swereen Govender also known as Sue or Shireen who is believed to still be in the country, possibly around KwaZulu-Natal is being sought by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit in Germiston.
Durban — Nearly a year on, the Hawks are still searching and waiting for leads on the whereabouts of a wanted woman who is alleged to have scammed unsuspecting investors out of millions.
On Sunday, police spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo said the Gauteng Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation still sought the public’s assistance in tracing Swereen Govender, also known as Sue or Shireen, who was believed to still be in the country, possibly around KwaZulu-Natal.
“She allegedly swindled victims out of an estimated R18 million during 2021. The public is urged to report her whereabouts to Captain Hennie Pretorius on 079 886 3555; all information received will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.”
Mbambo went on to warn that anyone harbouring Govender stood to be charged with complicity after the fact and defeating the ends of justice.
Last October, the SAPS and the Hawks in a joint media statement announced that Govender was being sought by the authorities after a warrant was issued for her arrest.
At the time police revealed that it was alleged that from June 2019 up to October 15, 2021) Govender lured family and friends to invest in her Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) business by promising lucrative dividends in return.
Further investigation revealed that she initially paid minimum dividends to investors and then completely stopped at a later stage. She has allegedly been lying to her investors that she cannot be contacted as she has been placed in a witness protection programme.
Multiple cases were registered at various police stations in Gauteng which were referred to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit in Germiston for further investigation.
It is alleged that Govender created fraudulent suppliers’ certificates from different government departments for PPEs.
Last year, she was positively linked to fraud cases in Gauteng, some of which were alleged to have taken people’s life savings, retirement and disability pensions.
In December, IOL reported that a resident from Centurion, who did not want to be named, said that her 74-year-old husband had been scammed out of R200 000 and they had been left with nothing.
They had met Govender at a temple in 2016 and she had told them that she worked at the Ekurhuleni Metro.
They were allegedly promised a return of 16% every six weeks and also promised an 8% return if they introduced her to more people to invest in an Ekurhuleni T-shirt project, and a plastic recycling project.
Daily News