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\nA confidential report on the police forensic division, ordered by national commissioner Riah Phiyega, suggest that Crimetech Laboratories might have been guilty of supplying expired chemicals, as well as value added tax (VAT) fraud and tender collusion, in its dealings with the South African Police Service.<\/p>\n
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Komodolowicz and Deale denied any wrongdoing in that matter.<\/p>\n
The dumping charges were laid after environmental management inspectors, the Green Scorpions, raided company premises in the two towns in October 2012.<\/p>\n
Deale and Komodolowicz had both resigned as Dealetech WasteXpress directors on March 15 that year.<\/p>\n
Among the materials allegedly discovered were Crimetech Laboratories\u2019 chemicals and pharmaceutical products from clinics and doctors.<\/p>\n
‘Environmentally sound’
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\nThe charge sheet says the accused contravened sections of the National Environment Management Waste Act 59 of 2008 and Section 332(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act, which makes it possible to charge a company with acts or omissions of a director or employee.<\/p>\nIt states that the accused also failed to take reasonable measures to ensure that the waste is \u201ctreated and disposed of in an environmentally sound manner\u201d; that Komodolowicz and Deale failed to prevent an employee under their supervision from breaking the law; and that they unlawfully incinerated waste on the property.<\/p>\n
The unlawful disposal allegedly took place on \u201cat or near Portion 1137 of a farm 410 (in) Hartbeespoort\u201d.<\/p>\n
Komodolowicz declined to comment.<\/p>\n
In its 2012-13 national environmental compliance report, the department of environmental affairs says the Green Scorpions raided the Brits and Parys sites simultaneously.<\/p>\n
Criminal case
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\nContraventions uncovered allegedly included \u201cstorage and incineration of chemicals, pharmaceutical and medical waste; [and] disposal of waste destined for destruction by incineration to wild pigs held on the Brits property, and storage of medical waste including schedule-six medication such as thalidomide\u201d.<\/p>\nAlthough Dealetech WasteXpress was ordered to stop unlawfully storing, disposing and treating the unsafe waste on both properties, the report says: \u201cthe instruction \u2026 has not been complied with fully and the noncompliances that were detected will ultimately be included in the criminal case against Dealetech WasteXpress\u201d.<\/p>\n
Last week two former Dealetech employees, who asked not to be named, told amaBhungane that when they enquired about the legality of the company\u2019s waste disposal methods, they were told everything was legal and that they should\u00a0not worry.<\/p>\n
\u201cCrimetech Laboratories had a contract not only to supply chemicals to SAPS but to remove expired chemicals from police labs and blood from crime scenes,\u201d one said.<\/p>\n
The source alleged that the Green Scorpions discovered two years of waste at the sites.<\/p>\n
Further investigations
\n<\/strong>
\nLast month, amaBhungane revealed that forensic auditors appointed by Phiyega, CPN Forensics and Accounting Services, had suggested in a confidential report that Crimetech Laboratories might have supplied the police with expired chemicals and could be guilty of tax irregularities. The report recommended the South African Revenue Service (Sars) should investigate further.<\/p>\nThe report also suggested that Crimetech and another company of which Komodolowicz had been a director, Kriminalistik, might be guilty of tender collusion.<\/p>\n
Komodolowicz resigned her directorship in February 2013, and was immediately replaced by her 19-year-old daughter.<\/p>\n
Last week amaBhungane spoke to a former bookkeeper of Kriminalistik, who asked not to be named. She said she had alerted Sars about the company not being registered for VAT.<\/p>\n
Last month Komodolowicz dismissed the allegations of possible tender collusion, saying Crimetech and Kriminalistik never tendered for the same contracts.<\/p>\n
On the allegations of not being a registered VAT vendor, she said the company had instructed its bookkeeper to apply for VAT registration when they anticipated they would achieve R1-million turnover.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we filled in any documents pertaining to VAT during this time, we would state \u2018pending\u2019 and if we tendered, we would assume that we\u2019d be VAT-registered by the time the contract was awarded, which takes six months to a year,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
‘All elements can be proven’
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\nAsked whether the revenue service is investigating, Sars spokesperson Luther Lebelo said the agency was prohibited by the Tax Administration Act from disclosing names of taxpayers under investigation or any information about taxpayers.<\/p>\nDepartment of environmental affairs spokesperson Albi Modise said the department is confident of winning the case because \u201cit was thoroughly investigated and all elements of the crime can be proven beyond reasonable doubt\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe state has, however, experienced certain challenges in obtaining a Polish interpreter, as one of the accused is of Polish descent,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
* Got a tip-off for us about this story? Email [email\u00a0protected]<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
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