Pretoria properties of former DRC embassy official attaché to be forfeited
The former defence attaché to South Africa was supposed to conclude an arms deal but instead, he defrauded the DRC and bought properties.
A former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Defence attaché to South Africa will be forfeiting his assets, including an Eastwood complex property, Centurion Golf Estate mansion, as well as property in Arcadia and in Northcliff in Johannesburg.
This follows after the Pretoria Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) secured a preservation order of over R43-million in connection with a fraud and theft case against former DRC official Brigadier Ngoy Timothee Makwamba.
On March 11, the Pretoria High Court granted the NPA and the AFU the preservation order to preserve four properties and two bank accounts belonging to Makwamba.
According to NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, the order emanates from a fraud and theft case opened by the DRC against Makwamba.
Mahanjana said one of Makwamba’s duties as the defence attaché was to purchase weapons from South Africa’s state-owned defence, security and related technology company, Denel.
“The DRC embassy then made a payment of R49.6-million to the Denel group. However, the Denel Group could not process the order and arranged to pay back the money to the DRC Embassy.
“In December 2022, the DRC government terminated Makwamba’s contract and [he] was no longer mandated to represent the country.”
However Makwamba fraudulently and unlawfully represented himself to Denel as the delegated representative of DRC.
Mahanjana said Makwamba was still a signatory of the defence account of the DRC and had the authority to instruct them on where to make the refund payment.
“Makwamba then provided the Denel Group with bank account details where the group paid the refund of R49.6- million on April 13, 2023,” Mahanjana said.
She stated that the money was transferred to bank accounts and used to purchase properties in the names of Makwamba’s children.
“Investigations by the Financial Intelligence Centre revealed the flow of funds, which led to the identification of two bank accounts. On April 2, the sheriff accompanied by the Curator Bonis (legal representative) as well as representatives of the AFU visited the four properties to serve the preservation.”
Mahanjana said the four properties are now placed under the control of the Curator Bonis.
“The next step is to apply for the final forfeiture order. After obtaining it, the properties will be sold at a public auction and the money returned to the DRC,” Mahanjana said.
She said this preservation order is part of the AFU’s asset recovery strategy to claim the proceeds of crime back to the state.
“The overall national anti-corruption strategy by law enforcement agencies is to strengthen the fight against corruption by pursuing both civil and criminal processes to ensure that impunity is no longer a given.”
The following bank accounts and properties have been preserved and frozen:
– Nedbank Investment account, also in the name of The Defence Office DRC Embassy, with R224 000.
– Nedbank account with a balance of R35-million in the name of The Defence Office of the DRC Embassy.
– Property in the Centurion Golf Estate held in the name of Ngoy Timothee Makwamba.
– Northcliff, Johannesburg property registered in the name of Bokomo Bokondo.
– Property in Pretoria registered in the names of Eustache Monga and Nkulu Julie Kilumba.
– Property known as The Falcons in Kilberry, Pretoria, held in the names of Ngoy Timothee Makwamba, Milleno Timothee Ngoy, and Ngoie Glo-Glo Gloria.
SEE ONE OF THE PROPERTIES BELOW
- VIDEO: NPA
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