Fidentia boss J Arthur Brown and financial director Graham Maddock appeared briefly in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday to hear their case postponed to August 31.
The two men face fraud and theft charges involving just more than R200-million from the Transport Sector Education and Training Authority, with other charges to follow.
Prosecutor Bruce Morrison told the court that there was a ”complication” in the matter, of which the defence was aware. He said he envisaged that by the August date, the investigation would have been finalised and the prosecution would have put together a meaningful charge sheet.
Attorney William Booth, appearing for Brown but speaking for both men, said the defence earlier this month filed a written request with prosecutors for all documentation, including a charge sheet, a witness list, witness statements and evidence.
The defence reserved the right to object if the investigation was not complete by August, he said.
After the hearing, neither Morrison nor Booth was willing to expand on the complication.
”It relates to the fact that the investigation is taking a bit longer than they anticipated,” Booth told reporters. He said that at the moment there is only a ”very vague” draft charge sheet. ”We don’t want a long delay in this matter,” he added.
According to Morrison, Booth has undertaken to help the state resolve the complication.
Brown and Maddock, who were arrested at their Cape Town homes on March 6, are on bail of R1-million each. Fidentia has been put under curatorship, and curators say they are trying to track down R1-billion in missing funds. — Sapa