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Man (52) forfeits east luxury property to state

The man is accused of allegedly defrauding the North West Department of Community Safety over an amount of more than R21-million.

A 52-year-old businessman is expected back in Molopo magistrate’s court in Mafikeng on March 27 after forfeiting his luxury Mooikloof Heights estate property in the east of Pretoria last week.

The North West High Court gave control of the man’s R10-million property to the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) and the Hawks as the two agencies continue to pursue more than R21-million of the man’s assets.

These assets include a filling station in Giyani, Limpopo and six other immovable properties in Limpopo, Gauteng and Mpumalanga, 25 motor vehicles, mostly bakkies, a Range Rover and a Mercedes Benz GLE63.

The forfeiture was instituted to recoup more than R21-million of alleged proceeds of crime as it is alleged the man defrauded the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management.

According to North West NPA spokesperson Henry Mamothame, the accused was arrested by the Hawks in Pretoria on June 26 last year.

Mamothame said it is alleged that in October 2015, the accused was appointed “by the department to help it achieve its road safety objectives, which included training unemployed matriculants and empowering accredited driving schools in various pilot areas”.

“His mandate also included training and developing driving schools and learner drivers,” Mamothame said.

He said an amount of over R21-million was allegedly paid to his company for the commencement of the programme.

“Over 40 driving schools allegedly signed contracts with the company, as beneficiaries of the programme. It is further alleged that these driving schools utilised their funds to participate in the programme, in anticipation that the company would compensate them.”

Mamothame added that the accused allegedly failed to honour his contractual agreement with the driving schools.

“As a result, the department incurred losses to the tune of over R21-million.”

The man made his first appearance in the Mahikeng magistrate’s court on June 23, 2023, on charges of fraud, theft and money laundering.

“He was released on R50 000 bail and ordered to surrender his passport, report to his nearest police station Mondays and Fridays between 06:00 and 18:00 and not to interfere with prosecution witnesses.”

North West Hawks head Major-General Patrick Mbotho and his NPA counterpart, director for public prosecutions Dr Rachel Makhari commended the collaboration between their two agencies in obtaining a preservation order against the accused.

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