Reprinted from SABC News, by Phumzile Mlangeni – 2024-11-21
Diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg‘s wife Desiree has been denied bail by the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court in Pretoria.
The case relates to an alleged investment scam in which investors were allegedly swindled out of more than four billion rand.
Investors were allegedly duped into investing into Liebenberg’s companies. Liebenberg was removed from the courtroom after causing a scene during proceedings.
She told the court her properties are being misused while she’s incarcerated.
And that she only joined the companies at a later stage.
In opposing bail, the state argued she might have access to R200 million allegedly hidden from liquidators.
The state believes she’s also a flight risk. She also failed to disclose a fixed address of where she’ll be residing while on bail as well as bank statements.
The NPA’s Lumka Mahanjana explains, “As the NPA, we welcome the ruling handed down by the magistrate to deny bail. She failed to convince the court that it was in the best interest of justice that she be released on bail. So, is the NPA right now? We’re going to start preparing for the trial. So, the matter now was postponed to the 4th of February, when the accused persons will join the rest of those that were previously granted bail.”
Earlier, Desiree’s husband and the first accused, Louis Liebenberg disrupted court proceedings after claims of intimidation by the police.
The close associate of former President Jacob Zuma chanted MK Party slogans before having a go at the magistrate. But Magistrate Vusumuzi Mahlangu did not take kindly to his actions and invoked Section 159 of the Criminal Procedure Act.
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