News / National
SA truckers charged with Mugabe fraud apply to return to home
21 Jun 2011 at 10:44hrs | Views
Johannesburg - Four South African truck drivers, accused of fraud in Zimbabwe, have applied for their bail conditions to be relaxed so they can return to home, SABC news reported on Tuesday.
Cassimjee Bilal, 28, Henry Radebe, 57, Samuel Risimati Baloyi and Sydney Masilo, 40, were arrested on February 20, for allegedly defrauding Zimbabwe's first lady Grace Mugabe of R7m.
They were released on bail until the trial resumes on July 25, but their current bail conditions prevented their return to South Africa.
The Sunday Independent reported they were caught in a spat between Mugabe and her former business partner, Ping Sung Hsieh, a Taiwanese-born South African.
They were hired by Hsieh to deliver R7m worth of trucks and trailers, equipment for Mugabe's Gushungu Dairy in Mazowe and machinery for a gold mine. The goods were delivered on February 19.
Mugabe's aide and VIP protection officer, Olga Bunga, claims in court papers the drivers and Hsieh had tried to defraud Mugabe of the R7m. The money was transferred via the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to one of Hsieh's company's, Chantrea Trading, in South Africa, in August 2008.
According to the Sunday Independent, Mugabe was using the court case to try and recover ownership of a R40m home in Hong Kong she bought in 2008. Hsieh had since transferred the house back into his own name, apparently for tax reasons.
Zimbabwean authorities were reportedly making attempts to extradite Hsieh from South Africa to Zimbabwe, to stand trial with the four truckers.
His extradition hearing was expected to take place in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court in Gauteng on July 19.
The truck drivers' lawyer Beatrice Mtethwa said there was no guarantee Hsieh would be extradited, as he had the right of appeal in South Africa. She said the truckers' families were facing hardship due to their absence.
Cassimjee Bilal, 28, Henry Radebe, 57, Samuel Risimati Baloyi and Sydney Masilo, 40, were arrested on February 20, for allegedly defrauding Zimbabwe's first lady Grace Mugabe of R7m.
They were released on bail until the trial resumes on July 25, but their current bail conditions prevented their return to South Africa.
The Sunday Independent reported they were caught in a spat between Mugabe and her former business partner, Ping Sung Hsieh, a Taiwanese-born South African.
They were hired by Hsieh to deliver R7m worth of trucks and trailers, equipment for Mugabe's Gushungu Dairy in Mazowe and machinery for a gold mine. The goods were delivered on February 19.
Mugabe's aide and VIP protection officer, Olga Bunga, claims in court papers the drivers and Hsieh had tried to defraud Mugabe of the R7m. The money was transferred via the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to one of Hsieh's company's, Chantrea Trading, in South Africa, in August 2008.
According to the Sunday Independent, Mugabe was using the court case to try and recover ownership of a R40m home in Hong Kong she bought in 2008. Hsieh had since transferred the house back into his own name, apparently for tax reasons.
Zimbabwean authorities were reportedly making attempts to extradite Hsieh from South Africa to Zimbabwe, to stand trial with the four truckers.
His extradition hearing was expected to take place in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court in Gauteng on July 19.
The truck drivers' lawyer Beatrice Mtethwa said there was no guarantee Hsieh would be extradited, as he had the right of appeal in South Africa. She said the truckers' families were facing hardship due to their absence.
Source - Sapa
