Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe’s son Thuthuke is to go on trial in March next year on fraud and other charges.
Thuthuke Hlophe (27) made his final formal appearance in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Thursday.
Magistrate Amrith Chabillal scheduled the trial for March 29 2010.
Prosecutor Sylvan Afica told the court plea-bargain negotiations with defence attorney Nazeer Ismail had failed.
Hlophe faces 15 counts — six of fraud, three of uttering (or presenting) false cheques, three of theft, one of defeating the ends of justice and two violations of the Identification Act.
According to the charge sheet, he was the sole member of a close corporation trading as Moving Addresses.
He allegedly forged an identity document belonging to Siphesihle Ntombela, by replacing her photograph with his own. He then allegedly used this to open two cheque accounts — one at FNB and the other at Absa.
On one fraud charge, he is alleged to have used his Absa cheque book to purchase a BMW 330i sedan worth R400 000 from Hendrik van den Berg in September 2007. The BMW was apparently damaged in a collision while in his possession.
A second fraud charge alleges he took the car for repairs costing R19 208 to the Claremont branch of Auric BMW, but was unable to pay.
On a third fraud count, he allegedly bought goods worth R4 070 from Davidson’s Boards, with a dud cheque.
Another fraud charge alleges that he tried to cash a dud cheque for R32 00 at Absa’s Table View branch.
He is also alleged to have used his forged ID, as well as a false salary slip indicating his salary as R32 522, to obtain a loan at Capitec Bank.
On the sixth fraud charge, he allegedly persuaded an unsuspecting friend, Luntu Magqaza to deposit a dud cheque for R32 522 into Magqaza’s bank account.
On the three theft charges, he is alleged to have stolen R5 500 on October 14 last year, R2 000 the next day and R500 on
October 17 from Magqaza.
He also allegedly falsely informed the police that his name was Ntombela, which resulted in the charge of defeating the ends of justice. – Sapa