Another person appeared in court in the fraud and corruption case against the now defunct VBS Mutual Bank.
The former chief financial officer of the Merafong municipality on the West Rand appeared in the Pretoria Commercial Court on Thursday morning.
Eight other people have already been charged in the investigation by the Falcons with the alleged looting of more than R2bn at VBS Bank.
The new accused is Matthys Gerhardus (Thys) Wienekus, who is charged with investing money with the bank on behalf of the municipality, which is illegal under South African banking law.
In the meantime, the investigation into all the municipalities that paid money to VBS is ongoing.
Wienekus’s case was postponed to July 29 for a plea agreement and sentencing.
The other accused appeared in court last week. They are:
• Andile Ramavhunga, VBS’s former CEO;
• Lieutenant General. Phalaphala Avhashoni Ramikosi, former CFO and non-executive director of VBS;
• Tshifhiwa Matodzi, former chairman of VBS;
• Phophi Mukhodobwane, VBS Treasurer,
• Nhlanhla (Sipho) Malaba, sacked auditor partner of KPMG;
• Paul Magula, Public Investment Corporation representative on VBS’s board of directors;
• Ernest Nesane, representative of the PIC on VBS’s board; and
• Paul Truter, VBS’s former CFO. Truter was quarantined for the Covid 19 virus disease and did not appear on Thursday, June 18, with his co-accused in the regional court in Palm Ridge, Johannesburg.
