A Zimbabwean attorney accused of defrauding South Africa's Road Accident Fund (RAF) of about R5.2 million has been refused bail and will stay in custody until her case moves to a specialised commercial crimes court next month.

Precious Muleya was denied bail by the KuGompo Magistrates' Court in the Eastern Cape on Friday, according to eNCA and IOL. KuGompo is the new name for East London. She faces a charge of fraud, with an alternative charge of theft, linked to claims allegedly lodged on behalf of at least 12 beneficiaries.

The case was postponed to 11 November 2026 for her first appearance in the KuGompo Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, both outlets reported.

Muleya has not been convicted of any offence. The bail ruling is not a finding on guilt, and she is expected to answer the charges at trial.

Arrest at OR Tambo

Eastern Cape National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Luxolo Tyali told eNCA that Muleya was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on 30 September as she arrived from the United Kingdom. The NPA said she had allegedly been evading arrest. African Times reported that the arrest was made by the Hawks and that she first appeared briefly in the Kempton Park Magistrates' Court before the case was transferred to the Eastern Cape.

Why bail was refused

According to the NPA account reported by eNCA, the State argued that Muleya was a flight risk, had no established family ties or property in South Africa and had the means to leave the country.

African Times and TownPress reported that the Hawks investigating officer told the court Muleya had left South Africa after a warrant for her arrest was issued, and that she had a return ticket to the UK when she was arrested. The State was represented by State Advocate Aphiwe Mkrazuli-Hubela, African Times reported.

In an affidavit, Muleya told the court she had returned to South Africa permanently to reopen her law firm, Precious Muleya Attorneys, and that her child lives in the country, eNCA reported. African Times added that she said she remained in regular contact with her clients. The court accepted the State's arguments and refused bail.

The allegations

The NPA said Muleya was an admitted attorney of the High Court and practised as Precious Muleya Attorneys. The alleged offences took place between 29 August 2019 and 19 February 2021, with claims lodged on behalf of road accident victims from areas including KuGompo, Centane, Butterworth, KwaBhaca, Mdantsane and Estcourt in KwaZulu-Natal, eNCA reported.

According to the Hawks' investigation, as reported by African Times and TownPress, the RAF paid individual amounts ranging from R150,000 to R947,000 on claims that investigators allege were inflated. Investigators allege that some claimants had never been examined or treated by the medical specialists named in the paperwork, and that medico-legal reports and invoices were forged. These are allegations by the State and have not been tested in court.

IOL's headline put the case at R20 million. TownPress reported that the Hawks place the actual loss at more than R5.2 million and the potential loss at more than R20 million across the broader allegations, and noted that the larger figure is not a finding that R20 million was taken. The State has said its investigation is complete.

Why it matters

The RAF pays compensation to people injured in road crashes in South Africa and is funded by a levy on fuel.

Muleya is due back in court on 11 November.

Zimbo Grapevine did not seek comment from Muleya or her legal representatives. Her lawyer was not named in the reports we reviewed.

Sources: eNCA, 23 Oct 2026: https://www.enca.com/news/attorney-denied-bail-alleged-r52m-raf-fraud-case · IOL, 23 Oct 2026: https://iol.co.za/news/crime-and-courts/2026-10-23-zimbabwean-lawyer-denied-bail-in-r20-million-raf-fraud-and-theft-case/ · African Times: https://www.atnews.co.za/r5-2m-raf-fraud-attorney-precious-muleya-denied-bail-heads-to-specialised-commercial-crimes-court/ · TownPress, 24 Oct 2026: https://townpress.co.za/raf-lawyer-denied-bail-after-court-hears-of-uk-return-ticket/