Peet Viljoen is still behind bars as his fraud case heads back to court. The former lawyer and four other suspects face claims tied to 46 Johannesburg properties worth around R27 million. Prosecutors say the group used fake records to sell city assets without approval.
At a Pretoria hearing, Edwin Maringa, Dorah Madisa, Mkhethwa Sibisi, and Wiets Nell joined Viljoen to face claims of fraud, theft, graft, and fake paperwork. The four remain free on bail, but Viljoen has yet to win his release.
Here's where the case gets messy. State lawyers claim the group moved land and buildings held by the Johannesburg Property Company into private hands. Neither the firm nor the City of Johannesburg got paid, based on the claims. The cash then went to people linked to the deal.
And this is not just one claim of fraud. Viljoen faces a long list of counts, with the alleged use of fake records and passing them off as real among the charges. A former city worker and an ex-deeds office official also face charges linked to the deals.
The court has split the next hearings. Viljoen has an earlier slot while his lawyers keep talking with prosecutors. His four co-defendants will come back later, as their legal teams review fresh case files and changes to the charges.
Meanwhile, Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre remains Viljoen's place of detention. His bid to get bail failed, and a later appeal got him nowhere. A request to drop the case from the court list also fell flat.
His arrest came after a trip back from the United States. The Hawks met him at OR Tambo International Airport when US officials sent him and his wife back to South Africa. Both had been held in Florida over claims tied to a retail theft scheme.
State lawyers had pushed against bail, citing the risk of Viljoen leaving the country and his lack of a set home address in South Africa. The court backed that view, with the weight of the charges also part of its decision.
His legal team then tried a new route. They argued that long delays and the lack of a final list of charges hurt the defense. But the court kept the case active, citing the need to weigh the rights of the accused against those of the victims.
There's still more to sort out. One suspect has not been found, while another person tied to the case has died. Prosecutors plan to press on with the case against those still charged, as they update files and deal with legal teams.
Viljoen also has a past outside the courts. He gained fame through reality TV, but his legal career came to a halt when the Law Society ruled that he did not meet the standards to work as an attorney. That ban was a separate matter from the criminal case, where the claims have yet to be proved.
At a Pretoria hearing, Edwin Maringa, Dorah Madisa, Mkhethwa Sibisi, and Wiets Nell joined Viljoen to face claims of fraud, theft, graft, and fake paperwork. The four remain free on bail, but Viljoen has yet to win his release.
Here's where the case gets messy. State lawyers claim the group moved land and buildings held by the Johannesburg Property Company into private hands. Neither the firm nor the City of Johannesburg got paid, based on the claims. The cash then went to people linked to the deal.
And this is not just one claim of fraud. Viljoen faces a long list of counts, with the alleged use of fake records and passing them off as real among the charges. A former city worker and an ex-deeds office official also face charges linked to the deals.
The court has split the next hearings. Viljoen has an earlier slot while his lawyers keep talking with prosecutors. His four co-defendants will come back later, as their legal teams review fresh case files and changes to the charges.
Meanwhile, Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre remains Viljoen's place of detention. His bid to get bail failed, and a later appeal got him nowhere. A request to drop the case from the court list also fell flat.
His arrest came after a trip back from the United States. The Hawks met him at OR Tambo International Airport when US officials sent him and his wife back to South Africa. Both had been held in Florida over claims tied to a retail theft scheme.
State lawyers had pushed against bail, citing the risk of Viljoen leaving the country and his lack of a set home address in South Africa. The court backed that view, with the weight of the charges also part of its decision.
His legal team then tried a new route. They argued that long delays and the lack of a final list of charges hurt the defense. But the court kept the case active, citing the need to weigh the rights of the accused against those of the victims.
There's still more to sort out. One suspect has not been found, while another person tied to the case has died. Prosecutors plan to press on with the case against those still charged, as they update files and deal with legal teams.
Viljoen also has a past outside the courts. He gained fame through reality TV, but his legal career came to a halt when the Law Society ruled that he did not meet the standards to work as an attorney. That ban was a separate matter from the criminal case, where the claims have yet to be proved.
