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Estina farm fraud suspects plead for bail

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Eight people arrested in connection with the alleged corruption regarding the multi-million-rand Estina dairy project in Vrede in the Free State say their release would be in the interest of justice.

They were arrested in Johannesburg and Bloemfontein on Wednesday.

Several of them told the Bloemfontein Regional Court during the bail application that they were well-known in the community and had no reason to evade court proceedings.

They are facing charges of fraud, money laundering, contravening a section of the Public Finance Management Act as well as the Companies Act. Police say more arrests are imminent

The accused include relatives of the politically-connected Gupta family and their business associates. Free State Agriculture senior officials, HOD Peter Thabethe and CFO Takisi Masiteng are among the accused.

Department’s former CFO Seipati Dlamini – who is now chief of staff at the Mineral Resources Ministry – is also in the dock.

The others accused are former Oakbay CEO Nazeem Howa and current Oakbay acting CEO Ronica Raghavan, Gupta nephew Varun Gupta, Sahara Computers CEO Ashu Chawla and Estina’s sole director Kamal Vasram.

The State has told the court that it is not opposed to bail being granted, but with conditions.

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