/ 3 October 2001

Yengeni charged with fraud, perjury, forgery

Cape Town | Wednesday

AFRICAN National Congress Chief Whip Tony Yengeni has been granted R10 000 bail after appearing in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday morning in connection with charges of corruption.

He had earlier handed himself over to the crack Scorpions unit after a warrant of arrest was issued.

This follows an investigation into Yengeni’s alleged involvement in purchasing a luxury Mercedes Benz ML320 4×4, at a discounted rate from a company which has a stake in the government’s multi-million rand arms deal.

Wearing a light brown suit, Yengeni sat in the dock chewing gum as Magistrate Petro de Villiers filled out forms. He was not handcuffed.

Yengeni was not asked to plead and was granted R10 000 bail.

The case was remanded to January 25 next year.

De Villiers said Yengeni’s bail was conditional on him appearing before the specialised commercial crime court at 8.30am in Pretoria on January 25.

He also had to alert authorities should he wish to leave the country, she said.

De Villiers said if he failed to abide by this, he would re-rearrested and held in custody.

After paying the bail, Yengeni and his wife, Lumka, left the court in a blue Volkswagen Polo driven by a policeman.

Yengeni faces charges of corruption, alternatively fraud, statutory perjury and forgery, said a representative for the Scorpions, Sipho Ngwema.

Ngwema said a warrant of arrest had also been issued for European Aeronautic Defence Systems head in South Africa, Michael Woerfel, who is currently out of the country. This had been communicated to Woerfel through his South African-based lawyers.

Woerfel was suspended from his post in July, some time after EADS admitted that it had “rendered assistance” to some 30 VIPs to obtain luxury vehicles.

These included defence force chief General Siphiwe Nyanda.

Yengeni is the first politician to be arrested in connection with alleged corruption in the controversial arms deal under which South Africa is to buy fighter jets, submarines, corvettes and helicopters from Swedish, British, German, Italian and French firms.

Three government agencies began probing the post-apartheid arms overhaul in January at the insistence of parliament after auditor general Shauket Fakie released a report saying proper procedures had been sidestepped in the tender process for the deal.

Yengeni, who chaired parliament’s portfolio committee on defence when the deal was being negotiated, in July took out full-page advertisements in newspapers in which he denied that he had been bribed and declared: “All is a witchhunt.”

Eads has a 33% stake in Reutech Radar Systems, based in Stellenbosch, South Africa, which won a $25-million contract to supply missile and radar technology aboard the four corvettes the government has ordered. – Sapa, AFP

FEATURES:

We are at the crossroads July 11, 2001

Feisty Frene under fire May 30, 2001

Watchdogs that bark, not bite Feb 14, 2001

Arms probe: ANC MP will fight February 5, 2001

ANC’s Mr Clean throws in towel August 31, 2001

Benz man won arms bid March 30, 2001

Yengeni has little to fear from the law March 30, 2001

ZA*NEWS:

Defence chief says his conscience is clear July 18, 2001

Yengeni cries racism, McCarthyism July 16, 2001

Tony keeps his wheels, for now … May 13, 2001

ANC puts party before democracy February 6, 2001

Arms probe? Off with your head! January 31, 2001

Stench of corruption lingers as MP axed January 30, 2001

Govt looks into arms-for-Mercs deals July 4, 2001

SANDF chief took car in arms deal June 25, 2001

‘Two fingers’ Tony stands firm May 9, 2001

Yengeni summonsed to explain assets April 20, 2001

ANC draws veil over Yengeni affair April 14, 2001

So who else got a new Merc? April 9, 2001

New evidence of arms skulduggery April 2, 2001

German engineering … where you need it most April 8, 2001

Tony comes out swinging April 1, 2001

Reluctant Yengeni protests innocence March 29, 2001

Tony, youre on your own March 27, 2001

Yo, Tony, whered you get the 4×4? March 26, 2001

Yengenis mysterious Merc March 25, 2001