Eskom R14.7 million fraud

Five people, including 55-year-old Patric Patrese Jones who had been on the run for 10 years, are on Wednesday appearing before the Hendrina Magistrate’s Court after they were arrested for allegedly defrauding Eskom of more than R14 million.The Hawks in Mpumalanga said Jones was traced and arrested at a hideout in the Western Cape earlier this month.

“Patric Patrese Jones (55) who was sought by the Hawks and published in the media as wanted for fraud, theft, and money laundering was arrested by our counterparts in Western Cape on the 07 September 2023 at his hiding place in Gordons Bay,” said Hawks Mpumalanga spokesperson Captain Dineo Sekgotodi. She said in April 2013, Jones allegedly colluded with Thandeka Innocentia Nkosi (42), who was working for Eskom as a senior buyer.

“During investigation, it was established that the family of Jones and his girlfriend were involved in the fraud,” said Sekgotodi.

“Jones’s brother Godfrey Jason Jones (46) was a signatory to Angel Frost Investment Pty Ltd business account held at Standard Bank. His mother Rabela Sarah Jones, aged 71, was the sole director of Angel Frost Investment Pty Ltd and Angel Frost Investment Pty Ltd. Maria Cantelo, a foreign national aged 53, Patric Patrese Jones’s girlfriend facilitated the tender processes on behalf of Angel Frost Investment Pty Ltd and benefited from the proceeds of the crime.”

The Hawks said in April, Cantelo was arrested and added as accused number five in the case of Eskom theft, fraud and money laundering amounting to R14.7 million. “The accused (Cantello) was joined with four other accused, Thandeka Innocentia Nkosi, Godfrey Jason Jones, Rabela Sarah Jones, and Angel Frost Investment Pty Ltd. The Hendrina Specialized Commercial Crimes Court released Nkosi, Cantello and Godfrey Jones on R100,000 bail each, while Rabela Sarah Jones was granted bail of R30,000 “due to her health conditions”.

After his arrest in Western Cape, Patric Patrese Jones’s appeared before the Strand Magistrate’s Court on Friday last week. He was transferred to Mpumalanga province, where he appeared before the Hendrina Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Patric Patrese Jones was remanded in custody, and the case was postponed to Wednesday, where he will be joined with his co-accused who are out on bail. Patric Patrese Jones is expected to seek bail.

Meanwhile, acting provincial head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga, Brigadier Gregory Gaillard has saluted the Western Cape multi-disciplinary team for the breakthrough in arresting the fugitive, Patric Patrese Jones, who has evaded arrest for almost ten years. In May, after Cantelo’s arrest, Sekgotodi said the fraud was an elaborate scheme where Eskom advertised a tender for the supply and delivery of pumps at Arnot power station.

“Angel Frost Investment was appointed or awarded the (contract)… while assisted by Eskom employee Thandeka Innocentia Nkosi. The company submitted documents which were fraudulent. “Furthermore, Nkosi misled the financial section of Eskom to approve an upfront payment of R14 million to Engel Frost Investment, while in true fact it was false,” said Sekgotodi.

Sekgotodi said the pumps were never delivered to Eskom. She said during the Hawks probe, it was then discovered that from March to April 2013, Nkosi had colluded with Rabela Sara Jones and her two sons. Cantelo is accused of facilitating the tender process on behalf of Angel Frost Investment.