Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) and Investigating Directorate (ID) have obtained a provisional restraint order to the tune of R165 million against KwaZulu-Natal businessman Thoshan Panday; his ex-wife, Privisha Panday; former provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni; and six others, according to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
The other six are former police members Colonel Navin Madhoe and Captain Ashwin Narainpershad; as well Panday’s mother, Arvenda Panday; his brother-in-law, Seevesh Maharaj Ishwarkumar; his sister, Kajal Ishwarkumar; and his assistant, Tasleem Rahiman.
“The NPA, with this court order, is hard at work attempting to take the profits out of crime. The court granted the NPA the order in chambers on 29 March 2023. The curator was then issued with letters of curatorship by the Master of the High Court on 11 April 2023 and execution took place [on Monday],” said ID spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka.
The order is linked to a criminal case in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Durban, in which an alleged criminal syndicate is accused of defrauding the South African Police Service (SAPS) of more than R47 million before and during the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup.
The State alleges that the three former police officers manipulated the process to allow them to procure accommodation for SAPS members “on an urgent basis and at inflated rates” only days before the World Cup was due to start, said Seboka.
Panday’s company, Goldcoast Trading CC, was allegedly awarded the orders for accommodation for police members deployed in the province during times of unrest from October 2009 at inflated rates.
His company was also awarded around 80% of the accommodation order for the World Cup at higher rates than other bidders, said Seboka.
“Panday misrepresented that Goldcoast had secured block bookings in 2008 for the 2010 [Soccer World Cup], which was false. Panday then had to place police members in venues, paid them a low rate and claimed inflated rates from SAPS.
“In addition, Goldcoast and four other entities associated with him through family member ownership received orders approved by Madhoe and Narainpershad for miscellaneous goods required by SAPS members for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, through fraud, including cover quoting and forgery,” said Seboka.
The five entities alleged to have been controlled by and associated with Panday were paid more than R47 million by SAPS between October 2009 and August 2010.
“In the application to court, the NPA alleged that Panday was the mastermind of the criminal enterprise. By the end of 2009 he managed to get control of the public order policing unit: operational response service (ORS) deployment accommodation contracts with the help of Madhoe and Narainpershad,” said Seboka.
The case is expected to return to court on 25 August.
The accused face fraud, corruption, forgery, bribery, and money laundering charges.
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