Businessman in Fort Hare corruption case gets R50,000 bail

Businessman Justin Peter King has been added as the 21st accused in the University of Fort Hare fraud and corruption case. He was released on R50,000 bail by the Alice magistrate’s court on Wednesday. 

King was alleged to have used his cash loan business to provide cash payment gratifications to University of Fort Hare staff, said National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Luxolo Tyali.

Tyali said the bail applications of Terrence Joubert and Anwar Khan were proceeding. One of the accused, Isaac Plaatjies, had abandoned seeking bail. 

Sarga Burger, Gosain van der Haar, Anna Smith, Paul Tladi, Lucrecia Davids, Mbulelo Gingcana, Nkateko Mawila, Nozuko Mabombo, Thamsanqa Sonjica, Craig Retief, Bradley Conradie and Nthabiseng Makhoba were released on R50,000 bail each last week.

The accused were arrested at the Easter weekend by the police national task team investigating criminality at the University of Fort Hare, which has resulted in murders and attempted murders. 

Tyali said the 21, nine of whom were university employees, and the rest service providers and their companies, were accused of having colluded by giving each other tender contracts at the university in return for gratifications.   

“The total amount of funds paid by the university to the service providers is more than R172m, with the bulk of it allegedly finding its way into the pockets of the accused university employees. The conclusion of these tenders was allegedly preceded by violent acts at the University of Fort Hare.” 

The accused in the corruption case, along with five business entities — EL Reign, Tarlec Security Solutions, BCHC, Horizon Forensics and Pentagon Group — will be back in court on May 9. 

Tyali said Plaatjies was charged in a separate matter with nine other people for the murder of University of Fort Hare fleet manager Petrus Roets and the university vice-chancellor’s bodyguard Richard Vesele, the attempted murder of vice-chancellor Sakhela Buhlungu and deputy vice-chancellor Renuka Vithal, as well as corruption.

They are due to appear in the high court in Bhisho on October 8. All but one of the accused remain in custody after they were denied bail. 

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