An East London-based attorney charged with fraud and corruption appeared in the City’s Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Manfred Chinamasa, 52, is a Zimbabwean national who owns a law firm in East London.
He is alleged to have misappropriated an R2 million Road Accident Fund (RAF) payout intended for his client who was a minor at the time.
The court heard that Chinamasa has three other related cases, two of which have been combined.
Hawks Spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Avele Fumba said the investigation stems from an alleged hit-and-run accident in 2011.
He said a claim was filed with the RAF in 2014 through a law firm based in East London.
According to Fumba, the accused is allegedly the sole signatory of the trust account in which the payout was deposited, but the funds never reached the recipient.
Chinamasa's formal bail application have been set for 15 February.
The state intends to oppose bail.
