Deputy Judge President (DJP) Martha Mbhele postponed the matter to November 3, to deal with the management of the criminal case - which is still in the early stages of pretrial.

ALSO READ: #Estina: Gupta lieutenant and co-accused back in Free State High Court

The matter was also postponed to allow legal representatives of Accused 8, Ronica Rogavan, Accused 7, Island Site Investments 180 (Pty) Ltd, and Accused 6, Denish Patel, to argue the other matter related to this case in court on September 27. 

Rogavan wants to compel the state to release further particulars related to her and the company she represents - Island Site, whilst Patel wants Judge Mbhele to relax his bail conditions for travelling purposes. 

Eight suspects, including supposed Gupta lieutenant, Iqbal Sharma, former Free State departmental accounting officers and representatives of involved companies, are facing charges of fraud and corruption.

Judge Mbhele further excused Sharma, former Free State HOD for Rural Development, Peter Thabethe, former Chief Financial Officer at Free State Agriculture, Seipati Dhlamini and former agriculture Head of Department (HOD) Limakatso Moorosi from the sitting scheduled for September 27 this year.

They will only be expected back in the dock on November 3 this yearm when case management sitting will take place.

They were warned to appear in court at 9:00. Their bail was extended.

Earlier, there was confusion about documents which were not placed in an appropriate order - but the matter was quickly dealt with by Judge Mbhele and legal representatives in her chambers.

According to the spokesperson of the National Prosecution Authority's Investigative Directorate, Sindisiwe Seboka, the case management session is aimed at finalising the outstanding procedures ahead of the trial, scheduled to sit from January 23 to March 3, 2023.

ALSO READ: #Vrede adjacent criminal trial set for 2023

The state also alleges that R25 million was allegedly paid in 2011/2012 to Sharma's Nulane Investments, purportedly to ascertain the feasibility of the Vrede Dairy Project under the Mohoma Mobung initiative, with the presumption that Nulane Investments had unique skills to perform the work. Mohoma Mobung is the Free State provincial government’s initiative in line with their Zero Hunger strategy.

ALSO READ: #Estina: State ready for trial

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 various accounts including that of Island site Investments. It is for the money laundering that occurred that the Gupta family has now been linked to the case.

Former Free State Government officials, Thabethe, Moorosi and Dhlamini stand accused of allegedly flaunting the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) by not following due process during the illegal deal between Nulane Investment, the company owned by Gupta associate, Sharma.

OFM News previously reported that according to the state prosecutor, Jacyntha Witbooi,  Free State was one of the provinces often looted by the notorious Gupta family members and associates.

She said this whilst the R25 million feasibility study fraud and corruption case related to the Estina case was still in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court in June 2021.

ALSO READ: Free State 'often looted by Guptas

The accused are out on bail ranging from  R10 000 to R500 000 bail.

OFM News