The Scorpions moved in on the two men at the centre of the Roodefontein kickback scandal on Wednesday, arresting former Western Cape premier Peter Marais and obtaining an undertaking from former deputy minister David Malatsi that he will hand himself over on Friday.
Marais surrendered to the Scorpions at the elite investigative unit’s Cape Town offices at lunchtime on Wednesday and was formally arrested on corruption charges.
He was then taken to Caledon Square police station for processing and later in the day he is expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court. Scorpions prosecutor Bruce Morrison said the Scorpions would propose bail of R10 000.
When he arrived at the Scorpions offices in Adderley Street, accompanied only by Advocate Hugo Rossouw, Marais maintained his innocence.
”The court case must take its place, that is part of the official system. I have full faith in our courts. I have full faith in my legal team and I still say that after everything has been said and analysed, they will find that I am innocent.”
He said he was there to answer charges brought against him by Western Cape premier Marthinus van Schalkwyk, who had reported them to the Scorpions.
”They’ve done their investigations. I, from the start, said that I’m not guilty of anything wrong. But now it’s up to the courts. The matter is sub judice and I wouldn’t like to comment any further.”
Marais was in a lighter mood an hour later when he arrived at the Caledon Square police station. Ever-optimistic, he told the large contingent of waiting journalists: ”I see I never lost popularity with the media”.
He was taken directly to the charge office to be processed. Speaking at the police station, Directorate of Public Prosecutions representative Sipho Ngwema said a warrant of arrest had been issued for Malatsi.
Malatsi was currently in Bronkhorstspruit outside Pretoria and had undertaken to the Scorpions to hand himself over on Friday. Malatsi was the provincial executive member responsible for environmental affairs and tourism at the time the multi-million Roodefontein development was approved.
Ngwema said the investigation into the Roodefontein matter had been going on for some time and that the Scorpions had sufficient information to arrest both Malatsi and Marais.
He said that should further investigations into the Roodefontein developer Ricardo Agusta produce sufficient evidence, he too would prosecuted.
Ngwema described Marais as ”very cooperative”. Earlier in the day, lawyers for Marais and Malatsi appeared briefly before a New National Party disciplinary hearing.
The hearing was postponed to next month by mutual agreement party representative Alie van Jaarsveld said.
The hearing would now be held on March 6 and 8. It is understood that Rossouw, who originally was to appear for both men in the hearing, withdrew as Malatsi’s representative, and that Malatsi will now have to appoint new counsel.
”The parties agreed that the date would be most suitable to everybody,” Van Jaarsveld said.
Marais and Malatsi were suspended from the New National Party last month after they were linked to kickbacks to the NNP totalling R400 000, from the developers of the golf estate development near Plettenberg Bay. – Sapa