Property company’s ex-financial director arrested for alleged R8.2m fraud

A 33-year-old former executive implicated in the extensive misappropriation of corporate funds of more than R8.2 million has been arrested.

Sohail Govender, a former financial executive at Just Property Group, was handcuffed by the Gqeberha Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation (SCCI) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

Executive charged with theft

Govender appeared before the Gqeberha New Law Courts on Thursday, 11 December 2025.

Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said Govender was formally charged with one count of theft.

“Govender was granted bail of R10 000 and the matter was postponed to 2 April 2026 for it to be transferred to the Gqeberha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.”

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Arrest

According to Mhlakuvana, Govender’s arrest came after an investigation that was initiated following a complaint lodged by the Just Property Group, located in Walmer, Gqeberha.

“The complaint alleged that the company’s former financial director was engaged in systematic and covert manipulation of internal financial controls, accounting systems and online banking architecture between June 2022 and December 2023.

“Investigations indicated that the accused, by virtue of his fiduciary authority and privileged access to multiple First National Bank corporate accounts, ostensibly orchestrated repeated transfers of company funds into a Standard Bank business account under his directorship,” Mhlakuvana said.

Façade

To obscure the illicit transactions and create a façade of operational legitimacy, Govender reportedly utilised statutory and payroll-related descriptors such as South African Revenue Services’ (Sars) Pay As You Earn, Value Added Tax, and Sage Payroll.

“Subsequent internal audits apparently confirmed that these entities were not the recipients of the referenced payments,” Mhlakuvana said

“Through rigorous financial analysis and transactional tracing, investigators identified the suspect as the ultimate beneficiary of the diverted funds.”