State prosecutor in the matter, Peter Serunye, told Bloemfontein Magistrate Mbuyiselo Didi, that all involved, including the accused, agreed last week already to have proceedings postponed in their absentia to curb rising Covid-19 infections. Serunye requests that the matter be postponed to 6 September. Despite the noticeable absence of the suspects and national media outlets in the courtroom, more private security personnel were spotted at the courthouse. The government officials embroiled in the saga: Peter Thabethe, Sylvia Dlamini, and Limakatso Moorosi have, alongside Dinesh Patel, been granted R10 000 bail. Iqbal Sharma remains behind bars after bail was denied due to him being a flight risk.

The feasibility study central to the case was given to Gupta-linked Nulane Investments to ascertain the feasibility of the Vrede Dairy Project under the "Mohoma Mobung" initiative. Nulane Investments is owned by accused number 4 in the matter - Sharma. The fifth suspect, Sharma’s brother-in-law, Dinesh Patel was a representative of Nulane Investments. He is alleged to have also been the chief negotiator in getting Deloitte to conduct the same study for only R1,5 million. Nulane Investments then 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, owned by the Gupta family.

Sharma is yet to appeal the denial of bail. His attorney Shaheed Dollie was mum when asked by OFM News if they had any intention to appeal Magistrate Estelle De Lange’s decision. In her judgment on bail, De Lange said that Sharma’s legal team, made up of instructing attorney, Dollie, and Advocate Stephanus Johannes Coetzee failed to prove that the business consultant’s release on bail would be in the interest of justice. 

Spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) investigating directorate, Sindisiwe Seboka, said on the other hand that they are happy with the outcome. “This particular man has left the country between 2019 and 2021 over a hundred times to various countries across the world, in Europe, Asia and Africa. Should he have fled, we would not know where to find him,” said Seboka. The NPA says they can now focus on the next step of the case.

Sharma has, in his affidavit, distanced himself from the running of Nulane Investments and said he was “not the controlling mind” of the company. The state said that this is an extraordinary contention to advance, given that he was the sole director and shareholder of Nulane Investments at all times. The company no longer exists.

OFM News