Matodzi said his total bill for Maluleke was about R700,000, which he settled from the proceeds of the sale of his Ferrari. He also took the advice and fled to London.
“Maluleke suggested I give him power of attorney for him to act on my behalf and Vele [investment company] during my absence and I agreed. I was subjected to untold pressure by Maluleke and his associates (Danny and Matsepe) who, I realised later, aimed to steal Vele and make profit from the sale of motor vehicles.”
He said four of his cars were sold during the process:
- Ferrari (488 Spider);
- Porsche (911 Carrera);
- Mercedes-Benz Viano; and
- Range Rover Lumma.
“I had purchased my Ferrari for R6.5m for which Maluleke paid me R1m, which I received from Matsepe. I later learnt Maluleke had sold the Ferrari for R5.5m to a dealership.
“I had purchased my Porsche for R1.4m, for which Maluleke paid me R300,000. I later learnt Maluleke had sold the Porsche for R650,000. I had purchased my Mercedes-Benz Viano for R1.03m and did not receive any money from Maluleke from the proceeds of the sale of this motor vehicle. I had purchased my Range Rover Lumma for R2m and I did not receive any money from Maluleke.”
A day after being in London he said he realised the “Hawks arrest” was a trick.
“I came to know the same tactic of the ‘Hawks’ scare was also used on Andile [VBS CEO Andile Ramavhunga]. After realising the actions by Maluleke and associates were a tactic to take over Vele and sell my assets while I had been ordered to leave the country, I decided to fly back into the country, revoked the power of attorney and took back control of Vele.”
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VBS boss Tshifhiwa Matodzi ‘robbed of millions by attorney and associates’ during escape plan
Former VBS Mutual Bank chairperson Tshifhiwa Matodzi in his testimony claims he was tricked by his business associates and attorney to flee to London when “Hawks” wanted to arrest him days after the South African Reserve Bank placed the bank under curatorship.
Matodzi was sentenced to an effective 15 years in prison by the Pretoria high court after he pleaded guilty to 33 counts including corruption, theft, fraud, money laundering and racketeering activities in contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
In his testimony, he said soon after VBS was placed under curatorship in March 2018 his lawyer, Joseph Maluleke, invited him to Lyttelton police station in Centurion to make an affidavit relating to the VBS investigation and its link to his company Vele Investments.
At the station he was also accompanied by businessman and associate Kabelo Matsepe and two of his bodyguards identified as Dan and Vusi in the affidavit.
“Maluleke left in a hurry before we could all finish with the affidavit. Minutes after Maluleke had left and as I completed deposing my affidavit, two men dressed in plain clothes approached me while I was inside the police station. They identified themselves as members of the Hawks and informed me they were there to arrest me regarding the VBS matter,” the statement read.
Matodzi said he called Maluleke to tell him about the threat for his arrest and the lawyer returned to the station,
“He [Maluleke] started engaging with the two officers. By this time we were all outside the police station building in the parking lot.”
Matodzi, however, said he and his bodyguards remained suspicious of the officers even after their identities were confirmed at the police station. In the police station parking lot they were joined by the attorney’s business associate, Danny Msiza, with whom Matodzi was acquainted.
“I was then informed Danny was on the phone with the [officers’] ‘supervisor’. After that ‘call’, Maluleke and Danny told me the two men were from the Hawks and agreed to release me.
“Maluleke and Matsepe told me Danny had gone [the next day] to the Silverton Hawks headquarters to meet the Hawks bosses for negotiations regarding the incident the night before.
“Danny told me I needed to leave the country immediately for the time being until everything was sorted out. I was informed he paid the Hawks bosses an amount of between R200,000 and R300, 000 (I cannot recall the exact amount) and that the amount would be included as part of Maluleke’s bill.”
Matodzi said his total bill for Maluleke was about R700,000, which he settled from the proceeds of the sale of his Ferrari. He also took the advice and fled to London.
“Maluleke suggested I give him power of attorney for him to act on my behalf and Vele [investment company] during my absence and I agreed. I was subjected to untold pressure by Maluleke and his associates (Danny and Matsepe) who, I realised later, aimed to steal Vele and make profit from the sale of motor vehicles.”
He said four of his cars were sold during the process:
“I had purchased my Ferrari for R6.5m for which Maluleke paid me R1m, which I received from Matsepe. I later learnt Maluleke had sold the Ferrari for R5.5m to a dealership.
“I had purchased my Porsche for R1.4m, for which Maluleke paid me R300,000. I later learnt Maluleke had sold the Porsche for R650,000. I had purchased my Mercedes-Benz Viano for R1.03m and did not receive any money from Maluleke from the proceeds of the sale of this motor vehicle. I had purchased my Range Rover Lumma for R2m and I did not receive any money from Maluleke.”
A day after being in London he said he realised the “Hawks arrest” was a trick.
“I came to know the same tactic of the ‘Hawks’ scare was also used on Andile [VBS CEO Andile Ramavhunga]. After realising the actions by Maluleke and associates were a tactic to take over Vele and sell my assets while I had been ordered to leave the country, I decided to fly back into the country, revoked the power of attorney and took back control of Vele.”
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