Fort Hare fraud accused still provides protection for university

Advocate argues that the situation should allow Khan to receive bail

Celebrity bodyguard and businessman Anwar Khan is still providing close protection for the University of Fort Hare.

This was said by his legal representative, advocate Reuben Liddell, in the Dimbaza magistrate’s court yesterday, arguing for Khan, 55, to be released on bail.

Khan and ex-NPA employee and police officer Terrence Joubert are part of a group of 15 people and five companies arrested for allegedly defrauding the university out of more than R171m.

“Your worship heard today that he is still providing services to the very university in terms of which it’s alleged there were these alleged fraud and corruption,” Liddell argued.

“That, with greatest respect, shows the interest of justice permits his release on bail.”

Liddell said Khan was a well-entrenched businessman who had 108 employees depending on him for work.

He said Khan was not a flight risk and that the state should present evidence as such or that he would interfere with witnesses.

“Here you have a well-entrenched businessman, a valuable member of our society, a person who is engaging in upliftment of community,” Liddell said.

“He [Khan] also testified that the notion that he should seek bail and thereafter breach bail conditions would not make any sense.

“To allege he is a flight risk is purely to create atmosphere and spin. There is no factual basis on any of the grounds upon which bail is opposed.

“He [Khan] testified he will subject himself to house arrest [if released]. What more can a person offer?”

Attorney Neil Ristow, representing Joubert, argued for the release of his client. “There s simply no reasonable

basis’to believe the applicant will evade trial,” he said.

“There’s no substantive evidence before you, save for speculation, that will lead one to believe that [Joubert] is going to intimidate witnesses or tamper with evidence.”

Senior state prosecutor advocate Mduduzi Mzila said it was not in the interests of justice for the accused to be released on bail.

“To say there’s no evidence upon which the state relies is not correct,” Mzila said.

“The court has all the facts before it. Our view is that the applicants, if released on bail, will not stand trial.”

The state alleges money from Khan’s company funded the killing of driver Mboneli Vesele, who was shot dead in Alice on January 6.

Investigating officer Sergeant Nyadzeni Khorommbi earlier yesterday told the Alice magistrate’s court sitting in Dimbaza that payment was made from Khan’s company, Pentagon Civils, to Zimele Chiliza.

Chiliza is one of the 10 accused arrested and faces a litany of charges, including the murder of Vesele.

Opposing the release of Khan and Joubert on bail, Khorommbi testified the payment allegedly made to Chiliza was used to hire vehicles which were allegedly used in the commission of the crime.

Khan and Joubert were arrested over Easter, along with 13 other accused, including current and former Fort Hare officials, and are alleged to have defrauded it out of more than R171m.

It is alleged that, between April 2019 and February this year, all the accused falsely defrauded Fort Hare by expressly stating or implying to the university, vice-chancellor Sakhela Buhlungu and chief financial officer Charles Matumba that there was a dangerous atmosphere after the arranged shootings were perpetrated in UFH.

It is alleged Khan’s company, Pentagon Group Company, was paid more than R62.2m, while Joubert allegedly received R6.6m and his company, Tarlec Security Services, more than R7.6m.

Khorommbi said Joubert was dismissed by the NPA in May 2022 after being found guilty of fraud and corruption.

He said investigations into the qualifications of Isaac Plaatjies revealed he did not have a senior certificate.

Further investigation, he said, revealed Plaatjies did not graduate cum laude with a master of arts degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

He said Joubert vetted the employees, including Plaatjies, but failed to inform the university that Plaatjies had fraudulent certificates.

The accused will be back in court tomorrow.