Graft-accused former Steinhoff CFO, Andries “Ben” la Grange, has been granted bail of R150,000.
La Grange made his first appearance in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria on Wednesday, in connection with the infamous Steinhoff scandal.
He joins former company secretary and head of legal, Stephan Grobler, who was arrested in March.
Former CEO Markus Jooste, meanwhile, evaded arrest after he died by suicide a day before he was meant to hand himself over to police.
The State did not oppose bail for La Grange, with the investigating officer in the case indicating in an affidavit, which was read out in court, that he was not considered a flight risk.
However, charged with a schedule five offence, the onus was on La Grange to show that the interests of justice permitted his release on bail.
The court has now found they do and granted him bail of R150,000 subject to various conditions.
These include that he does not interfere with any of the State witnesses, that he reports weekly to his local police station, that he not pursue a visa application for the United States that he had on the go, and that he surrender his passport.
The court has agreed to the return of his passport temporarily for an upcoming family trip to Botswana, though.
The matter has now been postponed until October.
-EWN
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