Johannesburg Consolidated Investments chief executive Brett Kebble said on Friday there was a determined effort to elevate a possible technical breach of JSE regulations to a charge of fraud against himself and his father.
Kebble took the unusual step of issuing a statement on the JSE Securities Exchange’s news service Sens after he, his father — mining magnate Roger Kebble — and a colleague, Hennie Buitendag, appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday on an ”unspecified fraud charge”.
Kebble said he believed their appearance was related to share transactions conducted in 1999.
Said Kebble: ”It is our unqualified view that the merits are of dubious substance and that we will be cleared of all charges.”
Kebble believed that it was in the public interest that certain factors relating to the prosecution be brought into the public domain.
He said there was a determined effort to elevate what had initially been regarded as a technical breach of JSE regulations to a criminal charge of fraud against them.
A large team of investigators, led by a privately funded advocate, had taken three years to develop a case on what was essentially a straightforward matter.
”However, we welcome the application of due process and are confident that our rights will now be protected. We deny criminal wrongdoing and we will therefore defend the matter.”
They wanted to assure their family, friends, colleagues and shareholders that they would conduct their defence with determination, dignity and purpose. – Sapa