The acting Judge President of the Free State High Court Martha Mbhele has, with the agreement of the respective parties in the matter, set the 6-week trial date for the period 23 January 2023 to 3 March 2023. In the interim, the parties will meet on 24 June 2022 for case management-related matters. Adv. Nazeer Cassim (SC), appearing on behalf of the State, also revealed that accused number 8, Ronica Ragavan, is requesting to have one bail condition relaxed so that she can visit her mother-in-law in KwaZulu-Natal.

Mbhele acquiesced to the request, meaning that Ragavan is no longer restricted to the Gauteng province but can travel outside of the province so long as the investigating officer in the case is notified.

The background of the case is that in 2011, the Free State Agriculture Department paid over almost R25 million to Nulane Investments, which was owned by Iqbal Sharma for the Vrede feasibility study. Nulane – represented by Sharma’s brother-in-law Dinesh Patel – then negotiated and subcontracted the same feasibility study to forensic auditing firm, Deloitte, for R1,5 million. They went further and subcontracted the work already carried out by Deloitte, to Gateway Limited and paid them R19 million.

The state alleges the funds were thereafter laundered into varied accounts, including that of Islandsite Investments 180. It is because of the money laundering that occurred that the Gupta family has now been linked to the case. The state has, in light of these allegations, approached Interpol to have them issue red notices for Atul and Rajesh Gupta, as well as their wives Chetali and Arti. Whilst red notices for the Gupta family are under consideration, the notices have been issued for their associates: former Nulane Investment Bank of Baroda account signatory Ankit Jain; Director of Wone Management, Ravindra Nath; the Directors of Pragat Investments, Ramesh Bhat and Jagdish Parekh.

The other accused in this matter are the former Deputy Director-General (DDG) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Transnet board member, Iqbal Sharma; the current Deputy Director-General at the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Sylvia Dlamini; Bloem Water Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Limakatso Moorosi; Sharma’s businessman brother-in-law, Dinesh Patel; and Gupta associate Ronica Ragavan. They were all released on bail of between R10 000 and R500 000, following their respective arrests throughout 2021.

OFM News