The National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) has secured three forfeiture orders worth R18m relating to proceeds of alleged unlawful activities of a “syndicate” accused of dealing in unwrought gold in Khutsong, Carletonville.
The orders, obtained in the Pretoria high court last Wednesday, are for various properties belonging to Bethuel Ngobeni, Lerato Bathebeng, Poppy Mathongwane, Bongani Khumalo, Dumisani Moyo, Moyo’s company Kesitaal, Nhlanhla Leon Magwaca, Neo Susan Duba, Tsepo Dube, Itumeleng Rejoice Magagane, Gloria Kgalalelo, Magagane Mlambo, Nhlanhla Mathebula, Manuel Nhamucho and Thabiso Sechele.
The three final forfeiture orders are for 51 vehicles, seven properties in Khutsong, Carletonville, Potchefstroom and Krugersdorp and 16 bank accounts.
“This emanates from a criminal investigation by the [Hawks] in 2018 with the specific purpose of infiltrating a syndicate which dealt in unwrought gold where they illegally buy gold-bearing materials (amalgam) from legal mining workers and illegally from zama zamas.
“They then process it into gold nuggets and sell it in the Johannesburg area but the main buyers are [still] unknown,” NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said.
The syndicate was mainly composed of foreigners from Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Some members acquired South African identity documents fraudulently.
“The next step is for the properties to be sold at public auction and the proceeds paid into the criminal asset recovery account,” Mahanjana said.
The accused face various charges including money laundering and racketeering. The trial is expected to start in the Pretoria high court on July 24.
Mahanjana said the forfeiture orders were part of the AFU’s asset recovery strategy to claim the proceeds of criminal activities for the state.
Last week the NPA announced the AFU obtained forfeiture orders worth R33m in relation to an alleged unlawful tender at Kusile power station.
The orders will see properties and vehicles forfeited to the state as they are the proceeds of “unlawful activities” at the power station. The orders come after a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into allegations of serious maladministration and corruption at Eskom.
Preliminary investigations by the SIU revealed Eskom lost almost R400m from an unlawful tender granted to Tamukelo Business Enterprises.
“The overall national anti-corruption strategy by law enforcement agencies is to strengthen the fight against corruption by pursuing civil and criminal processes to ensure impunity is no longer a given,” Mahanjana said.
TimesLIVE
Seven houses, 51 vehicles forfeited to state in unwrought gold case
Image: NPA and Hawks.
The National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) has secured three forfeiture orders worth R18m relating to proceeds of alleged unlawful activities of a “syndicate” accused of dealing in unwrought gold in Khutsong, Carletonville.
The orders, obtained in the Pretoria high court last Wednesday, are for various properties belonging to Bethuel Ngobeni, Lerato Bathebeng, Poppy Mathongwane, Bongani Khumalo, Dumisani Moyo, Moyo’s company Kesitaal, Nhlanhla Leon Magwaca, Neo Susan Duba, Tsepo Dube, Itumeleng Rejoice Magagane, Gloria Kgalalelo, Magagane Mlambo, Nhlanhla Mathebula, Manuel Nhamucho and Thabiso Sechele.
The three final forfeiture orders are for 51 vehicles, seven properties in Khutsong, Carletonville, Potchefstroom and Krugersdorp and 16 bank accounts.
“This emanates from a criminal investigation by the [Hawks] in 2018 with the specific purpose of infiltrating a syndicate which dealt in unwrought gold where they illegally buy gold-bearing materials (amalgam) from legal mining workers and illegally from zama zamas.
“They then process it into gold nuggets and sell it in the Johannesburg area but the main buyers are [still] unknown,” NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said.
The syndicate was mainly composed of foreigners from Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Some members acquired South African identity documents fraudulently.
“The next step is for the properties to be sold at public auction and the proceeds paid into the criminal asset recovery account,” Mahanjana said.
The accused face various charges including money laundering and racketeering. The trial is expected to start in the Pretoria high court on July 24.
Mahanjana said the forfeiture orders were part of the AFU’s asset recovery strategy to claim the proceeds of criminal activities for the state.
Last week the NPA announced the AFU obtained forfeiture orders worth R33m in relation to an alleged unlawful tender at Kusile power station.
The orders will see properties and vehicles forfeited to the state as they are the proceeds of “unlawful activities” at the power station. The orders come after a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into allegations of serious maladministration and corruption at Eskom.
Preliminary investigations by the SIU revealed Eskom lost almost R400m from an unlawful tender granted to Tamukelo Business Enterprises.
“The overall national anti-corruption strategy by law enforcement agencies is to strengthen the fight against corruption by pursuing civil and criminal processes to ensure impunity is no longer a given,” Mahanjana said.
TimesLIVE
MORE:
Forfeiture unit attaches R3m in property linked to gold syndicate
Seven houses, 51 vehicles attached in case linked to unwrought gold dealing
AFU secures forfeiture orders worth R33m over unlawful Kusile tender
Assets of businessman facing theft, fraud charges restrained
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