The case of the Secret Services Slush fund abuse – where high profile ex-Crime Intelligence senior personnel are involved – has been transferred to the Pretoria High Court and will be heard on 10 November.
Earlier on Thursday, Former Crime Intelligence Divisional Commissioner, Richard Mdluli, Crime Intelligence ex-Chief Financial Officer, Solomon Lazarus and Former Supply Chain Manager, Heine Barnard, appeared before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria.
They are accused of fraud, corruption, theft and defeating the administration of justice charges.
The three men will appear in November where they will face the charges with regard to the slush fund for the first time in nine years.
This case was initially enrolled in 2011 and then struck off the roll because the defense stated that the accused would not have a fair trial. This was as a result of the lack of access to the then classified Secret Services procurement documents.
Investigating Directorate (ID) head – Advocate Hermione Cronje – says that immediately when she took up office in May 2019, her team made up of assigned Hawks investigators brought up the request for declassification to the National Director of Public Prosecutions, Shamila Batohi, and National Police Commissioner, Kehla Sithole, to assist in that regard.
“The investigators were frustrate with the long delays. I’m pleased that within seven days from today the defense will receive those documents in order to prepare for trial,” says Cronje.
This is one of several other cases that the ID has enrolled in the past year emanating from the State Capture Commission.
“There is a serious appetite from law enforcement to finalize cases which had been stalled for nefarious reasons. We once again must state that we are systematically moving up the ladder,” added Cronje.
Richard Mdluli willing to appear before State Capture Inquiry:
