Seized R750 000 deemed crime cash

NEARLY R750 000 and a car have been forfeited to the state four years after they were seized in a drug raid on a Cape Town bottle store.

The forfeiture order was granted this week by the High Court in Cape Town against Paul Kingsley, owner of LiquorMait in Maitland, and three other men.

Police who conducted the raid in 2012 found R744 220 in three safes, as well as 1kg of tik worth about R300 000.

They seized a MercedesBenz because it had been bought for cash suspected to be the proceeds of drug dealing.

Kingsley, of Burgundy Estate, Richwood; Anachebe Ndubisi, Innocent Ekwe and Isicheli Kingsley may still face criminal charges.

Judge Mokgoatji Dolamo said this week that after the raid, which yielded “rich returns”, Kingsley claimed the cash was the proceeds of the bottle store and the sale of vehicles.

However, Kingsley could not explain why it had not been put in the bank, he did not have the key to one of the safes, and the cash was found with a stash of drugs.

“I am satisfied . . . that this large sum of money was the proceeds of unlawful activities,” said Dolamo.

Mxolisi Getye, of the National Prosecuting Authority, told the court that more than R3.5-million in cash had been deposited into the bank accounts of LiquorMait and another company.

The judge said most deposits had been made in Port Elizabeth, in the Eastern Cape, where Kingsley had no legitimate business activities.

NPA spokesman Eric Ntabazalila said criminal charges against the four had been withdrawn pending further investigation. —