Scam suspects get bail

Police and security staff at Bloemfontein Regional Court yesterday underestimated public, political and media interest in the first appearance of those linked to R220 million Estina dairy farm fraud and corruption case allegedly involving members of the Gupta family and their associates.

Eight people and three companies are implicated in the matter.

They face charges of fraud, theft, conspiracy to commit fraud and theft, contravening the Public Finance Management Act, contravening the Companies Act and contravening sections of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.

With dozens of media personnel excluded by the police, frustration rose and journalists began banging on courtroom doors and trying to push their way in, while the police inside kept trying to keep the doors shut.

Two visibly nervous warrant officers grabbed their pepper spray canisters or their batons each time the door opened, while outside in the hall, police brought in riot shields to help repulse frustrated journalists.

Those linked to the case appeared at 11am, creating a hubbub among the few media personnel and spectators who had managed to worm their way into the court, which was by no means filled to capacity.

Hawks officers and other police officials soon took care of that, sending more than 20 police officers into the court.

Those who appeared were former Free State agriculture head Peter Thabethe, former chief financial officer of the department Seipati Dlamini, the department’s former general manager for district services Dr Takisi Masiteng, Kamal Vasram, Oakbay Investments (Pty) Ltd represented by Sahara Computers CEO Ashu Chawla, former CEO of Gupta-owned Oakbay Nazeem Howa, the sole director of Estina, Varun Gupta and Oakbay CEO Ronica Ragavan, who also represented Aerohaven Pty (Ltd). Not in court was Estina (Pty) Ltd represented by Soo Young Jeon.

They were applying for bail and the prosecutor mostly had no objections.

Thabethe, Dlamini and Masiteng were all given bail of R10 000 while the rest, aside from Vasram, were given bail of R200 000.

Police still needed to verify Vasram’s address.

The police would bring more suspects before court soon, Hawks spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi said.

Outside the courthouse, Democratic Alliance leader of the Free State legislature Roy Jankielsohn said he was disappointed the Hawks had gone after less important suspects instead of bringing to book senior members of the Gupta family who allegedly benefited most from the apparently corrupt scheme.

The matter was postponed to August 17.

– news@citizen.co.za

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