Africa-Press – South-Africa. Two alleged Gupta associates are expected to go on trial in March 2023 in connection with a R37.7-million fraud case.
Kamal Vasram and Saliesh Indurjeeth made a brief appearance in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
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They are charged with fraud and the contravention of regulations on international trade administration and exchange control.
The trial has been set down for 27 to 30 March 2023.
Vasram and Indurjeeth were arrested earlier this year after they were “directly linked” to the failed Estina dairy farm project.
“The investigation revealed that Estina submitted customs clearance documents (SAD 500 form and invoice) in support of a VAT refund claim,” Investigating Directorate (ID) spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka said at the time.
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“The customs declaration was then scrutinised, whereupon the declared value of over R37.7 million for a so-called ‘new’ pasteurisation plant was suspected to be excessively high. The suspected overpriced pasteurisation plant, which was imported from India, was rather invoiced to Estina by Gateway Limited in the United Arab Emirates,” Seboka added.
Seboka continued:
“The State further alleges that the overstated or inflated value was intentionally and unlawfully used by Estina and its sole director – Vasram – to launder funds from South Africa to the prejudice of the taxpaying public in general.”
They are out on bail of R10 000 each.
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