The Cape High Court has rejected a bid by alleged fraudster Jurgen Harksen to stay out of jail.
Judge Nathan Erasmus ruled on Friday that Harksen had never been under formal witness protection as he claimed and turned down his request for an interdict against his return to Goodwood prison.
However, it remains to be seen whether the German will in fact be back behind bars immediately, as his lawyers plan to ask for leave to appeal.
The court is expected to sit again on Friday afternoon to deal with this issue.
Harksen was put in ”protective custody” on May 23 this year as he began his testimony to the Desai commission.
At that stage he was being held without bail on fraud charges. Harksen is also waging a legal battle against a bid to extradite him to his home country where he faces similar charges. – Sapa