I was most interested to read the article, by Basil Carlston, referred to in one of "Laywer Destroyer"'s articles regarding the requirements to report fraud related crimes.
So...armed with a printed version of the "Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004", I went off to the Hillcrest (KwaZulu Natal) Poice Station and got ushered into the Captain's office to report a crime of theft/fraud that I am aware of. When I mentioned to the Captain that I had a current civil case against the alledged perpetrator, he informed me that a person cannot be tried for the same crime twice, i.e. both civil and criminal and because I had already opened a civil case against the fraudster, I would be permitted to lay a criminal charge.

Is this so? I have already been under the impression that both civil and criminal charges can be brought against someone for the same act - am I wrong?