The failed Vrede dairy farm scandal is back in the spotlight this week. The trial into the R280-million money laundering, fraud and corruption case involving the Gupta family associates is set to start on Monday until 13 September 2024 in the Free State High Court.
The long-standing case emanates from alleged looting of the Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development between July 2012 and April 2014.
The accused include former and current officials of the department, former Free State Agriculture MEC Mosebenzi Zwane, Gupta associates and linked companies.
After the matter was revived in 2022 with new arrests including Mosebenzi Zwane. The accused in the Estina scandal were first arrested in 2018 and the matter was later provisionally withdrawn.
Former department head Peter Thabethe, chief financial officer Seipati Dlamini, Gupta associate Ugeshni Govender and Ronica Ragavan are among the accused.
It’s alleged that Estina, was appointed as an implementing agent by the department of agriculture for the Vrede dairy farm.
However, according to the indictment the company was a front for the Guptas and their associates to extract funds from the department of their own benefit.
Investigations also revealed that no proper tender procedures were followed with regards to the decision to fund the proposed Vrede Dairy Project.
Estina did not honour its obligations in terms of the agreement, as only the department paid its contribution into the bank accounts held by Estina.
Zwane previously said the decision to bring the matter to court was correct.
“I think this this is the correct decision that I should be given a chance to come and say what I know about this matter. And I maintain its the correct decision for the matter to be brought to court without me being judged unfairly when people do not know facts.”
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Investigating Directorate’s former spokesperson, Sindisiwe Seboka said they were ready .
“What we always say as the investigating directorate is that we are here to be prosecutors to prosecute without fear or prejudice and bring a case for the accused to respond to it. It’s not within our ambit to say that it is a water tight case but its for the court as the adjudicator to basically say it is a case that we should win. With that said as the NPA we have done all we possibly can in the 280 million matter for it to be re-invoked and we are pleased with what we have done thus far.
Source: eNCA
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