Former Nedbank financial planner in court for stealing R1.47m, and other brief reports...

* Former ANC branch chair Zolani Xego's fraud trial has been postponed to 2 September. Xego and his estranged wife Vuyelwa Hlekiso-Xego are standing trial in the East London Magistrate's Court where they have pleaded not guilty to five counts of fraud for allegedly defrauding insurance companies. Xego allegedly faked his own death in 2007 in order to claim R3.5m from Discovery Life. - Daily Dispatch (subscription needed) * Two separate cases involving a Cape Town woman who allegedly went on two spending sprees with cloned bank cards, may be combined into one, the Bellville Commercial Crimes Court heard last week. While out on warning for her first case, Anushka Rossi allegedly went on a second, similar, spending spree. Rossi faces 260 counts from the first case, including fraud and violations of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, and the Identification Act. She would remain in custody until her next appearance on 8 August. - IoL * A charge of theft totalling R1.4m was withdrawn against Port Elizabeth pastor, the Reverend Peter Twynham (79), months after some of his congregants turned against him and his possessions were seized. Twynham, who founded the popular Port Elizabeth Tabernacle in 1978, was arrested earlier this year for allegedly dipping into its coffers. - The Herald (subscription needed) * An ex-COPE member appeared in the Bellville Spec ialised Commercial Crime Court, Cape Town, this week on charges of fraud, theft and money laundering. Hildagrade Ndude, the former parliamentary national treasurer of the party, faces 23 counts of fraud, six of money laundering and one of theft. The case was postponed to 18 August. - IoL * Four men and three women appeared before Magistrate Sabrina Sonnenberg in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crime Court last week in connection with their alleged involvement in an online dating scam. They face 77 counts of fraud and one framed in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. The charge sheet lists 21 alleged victims, all of whom were duped in online dating chats. The seven were warned to appear in court again on 27 August. - IoL