The last two of the politicians allegedly involved in the ”Travelgate” travel-voucher scam made their first appearance in the Cape Town Regional Court on Monday.
This follows a Cape High Court order last week that they go on trial in the regional court, rather than the high court.
Mnyanmezeli Booi (48) and Antoinette Versfeld (54) appeared before magistrate Wilma van der Merwe, who postponed their case to April 24.
The charge sheet gives Booi’s address as the Elmwood apartments in Parklands, and Versfeld’s as the farm Contraberg, in the Darling district.
At their next appearance in the regional court they are to be informed of their trial date.
They face charges of fraud and theft.
On the fraud charge, they are alleged to have presented Parliament with false travel claims between January 2000 and September 2003.
The theft charge alleges that Booi, in this manner, stole R121 000 from Parliament, and Versfeld R41 000.
The travel agents allegedly involved with them in the scam are Soraya Beukes, Mpho Lebelo, Graham Geduldt and Estelle Aggujaro, all of whom go on trial in the Cape High Court on July 31.
Last week, Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe ordered the separation of trials after an application launched by Booi and Versfeld that was vigorously opposed by Scorpions prosecutor Jannie van Vuuren.
Van Vuuren slammed the application as ”delaying tactics that were not in the interests of justice”.
He urged the court to impose its inherent authority by refusing Booi and Versfeld the latitude to again delay and frustrate the process. — Sapa