Two convicted in R1.7 million Keens Wholesalers fraud
· Citizen
The Gqeberha Regional Court at the New Law Courts has handed down convictions in a major commercial‑crime case involving Keens Wholesalers in Korsten, Gqeberha, in the Eastern Cape.
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On Wednesday, 26 August 2026, the court found 42-year-old Megan Brooks 36-year-old and Leroy Bezuidenhout guilty of fraud and money laundering.
Their co‑accused, 41-year-old Rochanda Leander, was sentenced in 2020.
Fraudulent transactions
The case arose from fraudulent transactions committed between September 2017 and February 2018, when Brooks and Leander were employed as office administrators at Keens Wholesalers.
Their official duties included telesales, processing invoices, and preparing cash deposits and banking documentation for suppliers.
Eastern Cape Haws spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said Keens Wholesalers routinely used cash deposits as part of its supplier‑payment arrangements, with Fidelity security personnel transporting the deposits to banks.
Deposit slips
Mhlakuvana said the fraud was executed through this legitimate process.
“Deposit slips were prepared to appear as payments to Health Shield, but the cash was diverted into a bank account fraudulently opened in the supplier’s name.
“The scheme caused financial prejudice of more than R1.7 million, with the proceeds distributed among those implicated. The matter was referred to the Hawks, who conducted an extensive investigation before arresting the accused,” Mhlakuvana said.
Brooks and Bezuidenhout were released on bail and made numerous court appearances before their conviction.
Conviction welcomed
Eastern Cape Hawks Provincial Head, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, welcomed the outcome.
“The conviction demonstrates the Hawks’ commitment to investigating sophisticated commercial crimes and ensuring that persons who abuse legitimate business processes for personal financial gain are brought before the courts,” he said.
“This case shows that no matter how complex the scheme, our investigators will follow the money trail and ensure justice is served,” Obed Ngwenya added.
The matter has been postponed to 13 October 2026 for sentencing.