Four suspects appear in court for R400 million tender corruption relating to SA Express
3 September 2022
The Molopo Magistrates’s Court postponed the case against Tebogo Van Wyk (40), Nothando Dube (44), Sipho Levy Phiri (39) Thabang Mohlokoleng (54) and three companies, Batsamai Investment Holdings, Sevilex Investment Holdings and Lavao, Estevao (PTY) Ltd, to 01 December 2022 following their arrests by the North West’s Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation on 34 counts including fraud, corruption, money laundering and contravention of Public Finance Management Act. Van Wyk was granted R500 000 bail, R35 000 for Dube, R150 000 for Phiri and R50 000 for Mohlokoleng.
Their bail conditions were that they should not evade court on the next appearance, refrain from interfering with witnesses, inform the investigating officer should they wish to leave their area of jurisdiction. In relations to Mohlokoleng who indicated that his passport was missing, the court granted him 5 days to submit his passport and he was ordered to report to his nearest police station everyday between 06h00 and 18h00 until the passport is surrendered. The state will in this period provide the defence attorneys with the indictment and other necessary documents in preparation for trial.
An application was made to the office of the National Director of Public Prosecutions for more charges of racketeering to be added and for the matter to be centralised, as some offences were commissioned in the jurisdiction of South Gauteng.
The Hawks report revealed that the suspects were arrested in Gauteng and Mahikeng respectively Thursday, 29 September 2022.