Swapna Prabhakaran
The trials of the alleged kingpin of a major KwaZulu-Natal crime ring – known as the “Curry Mafia” -were this week adjourned until late next year, because the Pretoria courts are too busy to deal with the matter now.
Pietermaritzburg businessman Suresh “Surie” Maharaj will appear before court in three trials set down for August, September and November 1999. The trials were postponed this Monday – two are for charges of vehicle theft, and one is for fraud.
Maharaj has not yet been convicted of any crime other than tax evasion, but he has been implicated in various illicit activities since the mid- 1980s. He has appeared in court on charges of illegal diamond dealing, cheque fraud, conspiracy to free a convicted criminal from prison, and conspiracy to murder state witnesses.
The Curry Mafia has been identified as having played a part in various car thefts and bank fraud and corruption, and Maharaj has been in and out of court for the past four years for his alleged involvement in the crimes.
The saga began when Maharaj was arrested in February 1994 during a massive police sting operation on syndicate crime. The swoop was called Operation Roadstar in Natal, and Operation Benjamin in the then Transvaal, and 44 suspects were arrested.
Operation Benjamin was aimed at rounding up the alleged members of the “Boeremafia”, a syndicate allegedly run by Pretoria businessman Benjamin Mong.
Mong, often referred to as “the Godfather” in the press, was living in style in Pretoria’s affluent suburbs. He was arrested on charges of theft and fraud, mostly involving “kite flying” – the use of illegally obtained cheques. He was also charged with falsification of identity documents.
Mong faced justice in January last year when he was sentenced to 43 years’ imprisonment on 23 charges of theft and fraud in the Pretoria Regional Court.
While there are no direct links between the Boeremafia and the Curry Mafia, police believe the two syndicates followed a similar modus operandi.
Maharaj has previously been acquitted on some counts, including one of car theft in Cape Town.
In 1988, he and businessman Len Mostert were arrested for allegedly buying uncut diamonds on the sly from an undercover policeman. Maharaj was let out on bail of R100 000, the trial was delayed for eight years, and he was eventually acquitted.
Maharaj was also once charged on suspicion of a massive tax dodge, in cahoots with tax consultant Charl Daneel.
In his only admission of guilt to date, Maharaj quietly paid various fines in October 1995 for failing to furnish income tax returns for the 1993 and 1994 tax years .
However, Daneel turned state witness against Maharaj, and shortly afterwards Maharaj faced another charge: conspiracy to murder Daneel.
Maharaj also faces a probe by the Department of Justice, which is investigating his role in the granting of “urgent bail” to alleged cash-in- transit heist suspect, Mandla Manqele.
Manqele was granted bail after an urgent hearing on the weekend before his formal bail hearing was due to be held in the Camperdown Magistrate’s Court last May.