KEY POINTS
- The Hawks are investigating a Sandton lawyer over missing R2.6 million ($141,233).
- The Gauteng High Court has ordered full disclosure of financial records.
- Mayet denies wrongdoing, calling the allegations false and defamatory.
The Hawks are investigating Sandton-based lawyer Mohseen Mayet over allegations that he misappropriated R2.6 million from the sale of a North West property.
The funds were intended for the widow of Abdullah Ellemdin, who passed away in 2021. The house was sold the following year, but the proceeds never reached the rightful beneficiary.
Documents, including court records and correspondence, reveal that Mayet initially confirmed receiving the funds in April 2022.
However, he later invested the money in a company named Ultimate Heli, where he claims to hold a 26 percent share.
According to IOL, Mayet insisted that the investment would quadruple in value, promising a return of R10 million ($543,204) by June 2025.
Despite his assurances, the joint executors of Ellemdin’s estate, Zunaid Abdoola and Ahmad Bham, have rejected his justification.
They pursued legal action after multiple failed attempts to recover the money.
Legal battle intensifies
The situation escalated when the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg ordered Mayet and his firm, Mohseen Mayet Inc., to hand over all financial records and payment details related to the missing funds.
The court ruling demands that Mayet provide a detailed breakdown of how the funds were used and to whom they were paid.
Meanwhile, the Legal Practice Council (LPC) has received a formal complaint against Mayet.
The buyer of the property also filed a misconduct complaint, further complicating the case. The widow and the estate’s joint executors are determined to see justice served.
Hawks spokesperson Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula confirmed that the investigation is ongoing. “We are looking into the allegations and gathering necessary evidence,” Mathebula said.
Mayet denies wrongdoing
Despite the mounting legal pressure, Mayet has dismissed the allegations as false and defamatory.
In a statement, he claimed that the accusations contain “false statements and inaccuracies.” However, he has not responded to direct inquiries about the missing R2.6 million.
The LPC has yet to comment on the complaint against Mayet.
Tariq Thokan, who recently took part in the case as the co-executors’ legal representative demands comprehensive disclosure and appropriate accountability.
As legal proceedings unfold, the widow remains in financial distress, waiting for the funds that were meant to support her after her husband’s passing.
Authorities face strong pressure to detect and prosecute those who committed these crimes.
