The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has been granted an order to freeze assets worth R13 million belonging to former police crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli and his co accused. This means that their assets and vehicles have been frozen.
The order relates to charges against Mdluli over gross abuse of the police slush fund. Mdluli and his co-accused Heine Barnard (former crime intelligence supply chain manager) and Solomon Lazarus (former chief financial officer of the State Security Agency) face charges fraud, corruption and contravening the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act. The alleged crimes were committed between 2008 and 2012.
The crimes were allegedly committed while the three men were at the helm of Crime Intelligence and in control of its secret service account, which consisted of funds allocated by National Treasury to prevent crime and to gather intelligence to fight crime.
In a statement on Wednesday Sindisiwe Seboka, the NPA investigating directorate’s spokesperson said Mdluli’s former and current wives Theresa (Lyons) and Vusiwane Mdluli, John and Heena Appalsami, Heine Barnard’s wife Juanita Barnard, and Solomon Lazarus’ wife Sandra Lazarus are also implicated.
According to the court indictment, Richard Mdluli took trips, some of which were paid from the secret fund, while he was still the Crime Intelligence boss.
The indictment states that on a trip to China in November 2009, R50 000 from the slush fund was used to purchase an airplane ticket for Mdluli, a further R50 000 was used to purchase a ticket for his former wife, who was allegedly aching as an agent.
Mdluli also claimed for personal expenses, which includes accommodation, electronic goods, clothes, as well as expenses with no proof provided. Several of Mdluli’s family members were made agents and given vehicles and a salary by crime intelligence.
Mdluli, Lazarus and Barnard are also accused to have used witness protection houses for their own personal use, and Mdluli’s property was listed as a safe house.
Asset Forfeiture Unit head, advocate Ouma Rabaji-Rasethaba, said the NPA had a two-pronges strategy to those accused. The first is criminal prosecution and the other is to freeze their assets. The accused are expected back in court in November.
Source: News24, Business Day, Daily Maverick, IOL, Sowetan Live, image from Sowetan Live: Thulani Mbele