Police wait for medication tests in Majali case

2010-12-27 10:35

Johannesburg - Police were waiting for tests to be conducted on medication found in the hotel room where the body of controversial businessman Sandile Majali was found, a spokesperson said on Monday.

"It's still too early to talk about the tests. We are waiting for the department of health to give us its findings which will inform the direction the investigation will take," Gauteng police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini, said.

"We are investigating an inquest docket."

The 48-year-old Majali was found dead in his room at the Sandton Quatermain Hotel in Johannesburg on Sunday morning.

"He stayed with us last night, and I can confirm that he was found passed away this morning," general manager, Rosy Chilewitz said on Sunday.

Arrest

Chilewitz could not give details of when he checked into the hotel.

"I can't give you any more details on that, all I can say is that he was with us last night, police are dealing with the rest," she said.

Majali, who was said to be in financial trouble, came into the public eye following his role in the so-called Oilgate saga that saw him "donate" R11m of PetroSA's funds to the ANC ahead of the 2004 elections.

He was arrested in October 2010 by the Saps Commercial Crimes Unit on fraud charges and was released on bail - after directorship of mining company Kalahari Resources were changed from Brian Amos Mashile and his sister Daphne Mashile-Nkosi to a group of eight people including Majali.

The two siblings had to bring an urgent interdict before the High Court in Johannesburg to get themselves reinstated as directors of the company. Majali was due to appear in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court again on January 18.

His three co-accused Stephan Khoza, Haralambos Sferopoulous and Elvis Bongani Ndala, recently appeared in court over their mental fitness to stand trial.

- SAPA