POLOKWANE – The Polokwane attorney and her husband who are facing a combined 43 counts of fraud, theft and money laundering linked to deceased estates are expected to bring a bail appeal before the Limpopo High Court in Polokwane today, Wednesday.

Tshwane Metro Police officer Peter “Gagash” Nonyane and his wife, attorney Charlotte Tibana, were denied bail by the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on September 2 and have been in custody since their arrest in August.

Nonyane was arrested in Pretoria on August 14, while Tibana was arrested in Polokwane on August 17.

Tibana suspended from practising

Their bail appeal application comes days after the High Court in Polokwane suspended Tibana from practising as an attorney pending disciplinary proceedings.

The Legal Practice Council has since taken control of her firm’s trust accounts.

The pair is accused of misappropriating approximately R4m from several deceased estates administered through Tibana Attorneys.

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The State alleges that funds were unlawfully withdrawn from trust accounts and laundered through different bank accounts.

The estates cited in court papers include:

• Masha
• Mathabatha
• Maswanganyi
• Moetjie
• Kobe
• Tlabile

State opposed bail over alleged witness interference

The State opposed bail, telling the court that Tibana had allegedly interfered with the investigation by contacting witnesses while in custody.

The prosecution said investigators are in possession of voice recordings relating to the alleged contacts.

The magistrate ruled that the couple should remain in custody pending further investigations, postponing the criminal case to November 6.

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Bail appeal filed

Limpopo National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mashudu Malabi confirmed on Tuesday that a bail appeal had been filed in the High Court.