North West businessman Suliman Carrim appeared in the Musina Magistrate’s Court in Limpopo on Monday, 9 November, seeking bail in a separate criminal case involving the alleged attempted theft of two vehicles financed by Absa Bank.
The state argued that Carrim’s residence permit in the United Arab Emirates, together with his financial interests and international connections, raised concerns that he might be a flight risk. Prosecutors also referred to his previous failure to appear before the Madlanga Commission, arguing that this raised questions about his willingness to comply with legal processes.
The case relates to an incident at the Beitbridge Border Post, where police intercepted two vehicles allegedly being transported from Mahikeng in the North West to Malawi. Carrim and his two co-accused face charges of fraud, attempted theft of motor vehicles and uttering. The state alleges that fraudulent bank letters were used to facilitate the movement of the vehicles across the border without Absa's authorisation.
However, Carrim has disputed the state's version of events and the strength of the evidence against him. He said an alleged attempt to move the vehicles across the border without permission did not necessarily establish an intention to permanently deprive Absa of its property. He also offered an alternative explanation for the journey, referring to a visit to family, the delivery of groceries and a short stay.
Carrim’s defence further challenged the state's reliance on WhatsApp communications, disputing that he had consented to police downloading information from his cellphone after his arrest at OR Tambo International Airport on 15 October. He said no search warrant authorising the download had been presented to him and questioned whether the communications had been properly contextualised.
He also disputed the reliability of statements attributed to his co-accused, saying their own criminal charges and circumstances should be taken into account when assessing the state's case.
On the question of bail, his defence acknowledged the seriousness of the charges but maintained that this alone did not establish that he would abscond or fail to comply with court conditions. He also argued that his separate proceedings involving the Madlanga Commission should not automatically determine the outcome of his bail application in Musina.
The latest proceedings come after Carrim was granted R100 000 bail by the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on 28 October in a separate matter relating to his alleged failure to appear before the Madlanga Commission. He nevertheless remained in custody because of the outstanding Musina case.
Carrim remains in custody pending the outcome of his bail application.