Mpisane to plead not guilty
2013-02-07 17:40
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Assets to the tune of R140m were removed from Durban businessman Sibusiso "S'bu" Mpisani's home -- his fleet of luxury vehicles among them. See the pictures.
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Durban - Businesswoman Shawn Mpisane told the Durban
Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday she would plead not guilty to 53 charges of
fraud, forgery and uttering.
Mabongi Flora-Junior "Shawn" Mpisane is accused
of being awarded government tenders worth R140m after allegedly supplying false
information to the Construction Industry Development Board.
In a statement read to the court by her lawyer Jimmy
Howse, Mpisane accused the State of repeatedly investigating "the same
events" but coming up with different charges.
She said the R140m related to five tenders.
One of these was a R69m tender where no payment was made
and no work had started.
Therefore, nobody had suffered a loss.
Earlier this week the Asset Forfeiture Unit seized her
property and several cars - 51 of them, according to a report in Durban's
afternoon newspaper The Daily News.
Prosecutor Joanne Bromley-Gans said the State was opposed
to bail on the grounds that Mpisane was already out on bail when some of the
alleged offences were committed.
She said there was a likelihood Mpisane could commit
further offences if out on bail.
Mpisane had interfered with another witness in another
matter, Bromley-Gans said.
Mpisane would stand trial in another case in May, where
she is accused of inflating invoices by more than R5m to cut her tax bill.
The bail hearing continues.
- SAPA
