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Donor probe worries SACP
17/02/2008 11:27 - (SA)
Johannesburg - The SA Communist Party (SACP) on Saturday said it was concerned at the manner in which the police have handled the investigation into the alleged donation from detained businessman Charles Modise.
Spokesperson Malesela Maleka said Modise's former legal team alleged that charges levelled against general secretary, Blade Nzimande, by Modise were trumped up by the National Prosecuting Authority as part of a political agenda directed against Nzimande in the course of last year.
He said the legal team further alleged that Modise never personally laid charges against Nzimande, and that Modise's continued detention was related to his failure to back up the story.
He said the SACP had no independent means for verifying any of this, but was "deeply disturbed" by a senior Gauteng police officer who told a radio station on Friday that the police were "beginning the forensic investigation".
"What on earth have the police been doing for the past seven months," he asked.
He said Nzimande was aware that his bank accounts were scrutinised in the middle of last year by the authorities.
The SACP instituted its own task group on this matter, which could find no evidence of any unaccounted for donation.
"To ensure that, to the best of our powers and abilities, we leave no stone unturned in this matter, we have also requested an independent forensic auditor to do a life-style audit of both Cde's Blade Nzimande and Willie Madisha," he said.
"The independent auditors have just communicated with us to say that their report has been delayed because they are unable to secure any co-operation whatsoever from Madisha."
He said the auditors had been instructed to produce their findings within two weeks to ensure the matter did not drag on indefinitely.
Modise has alleged that he had donated R500 000 to the SACP.
Cosatu president Willie Madisha allegedly gave the money to Nzimande who denied ever receiving it.
Modise is due to apply for bail at the Kimberley Magistrate's Court on charges relating to fraud on February 22.
He was arrested in Gauteng by NPA's special investigation unit - the Scorpions - during a probe into alleged tender fraud of R35m, dating back to 2003.
Some of the charges apparently relate to government tenders for the Northern Cape legislature, a parliamentary residential area, the renovation of airports at Kimberley and Upington, and toll roads.
- SAPA
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