Editor leaves Son

Son Editor Andrew Koopman has quit his job with immediate effect, following his suspension on 15 January pending an internal investigation.

Koopman’s resignation on Thursday follows the dismissal of Son layout sub-editor Janice Ohlson, who was arrested last month and charged on 140 counts of fraud.

An email sent to staff by Chief Executive Officer of Media24 Esmaré Weideman said: “While we have accepted Andrew’s resignation, we wish to emphasise he was not implicated in the fraud charges and is not under investigation for any criminal activity.”

News Editor Neil Scott will continue in the role of acting editor, Weideman said.

Ohlson, 40, from Parow, and businessman Munier Abrahams, 41, from Portland, Mitchells Plain were arrested on 11 January following a year-long investigation.

Ohlson was arrested at Media24, Foreshore and Abrahams at his business, Executive Car Hire, in Epping.

The two were nabbed after allegedly fraudulently issuing documents to employ drag queen and whistle-blower Queeny Madikizela-Malema as a ghost writer.

Sylvano Hendricks, alias Queeny, was convicted of fraud for running a pyramid scheme and released on parole in 2014. She has since served her full sentence.

Queeny became known as a whistle-blower when she claimed top cop Major-General Jeremy Vearey was corrupt and colluded with gangsters in an affidavit given to Community Safety MEC Dan Plato, which was leaked to the media.

Cops say Ohlson and Abrahams issued a false work schedule to the Department of Correctional Services to allow Queeny to move freely.

The pair were released on bail of R5 000 each and will be in court on 15 March.