TYCOON GETS HEAVY AT COURT
Sayed Mia, co-accused to approach National Prosecuting Authority
JOBURG property mogul Sayed Hoosen Mia, who has been charged with fraud and money laundering, has made another attempt to have the case against him dropped.
Yesterday Mia, 68, and coaccused Desmond Simamane made a brief appearance in the Johannesburg Regional Court.
The case was set for trial but their defence lawyers said the accused wanted to make representations to the National Prosecuting Authority regarding the charges.
The State did not oppose the request.
The matter was postponed until March 24.
The accused tried several times last year to have the case against them dropped.
After the postponement yesterday, Mia’s family, among them his plastic surgeon son Dr Ridwan Mia, made threatening gestures to a reporter from The Star and photographers inside and outside the court building.
The family have obtained the assistance of what appeared to be a bodyguard to help them in their bid to prevent the media from attending their father’s court appearances.
The charges against Mia and Simamane emerged in 2013 when the national Department of Public Works asked the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, (the Hawks), to get involved after it became suspicious that corruption was taking place among officials in its Braamfontein office.
At the time, Simamane was the senior administrator in the office. It is alleged that he had duped his bosses for more than five years into leasing buildings owned by Mia, and he got kickbacks from that.
The Public Works Department had told The Star it had suffered losses of more than R40 million due to the alleged fraudulent transactions.
The State alleges that Mia and Simamane’s corrupt relationship began in 2006 and had continued for five years.
The State alleges that in 2006, Simamane accepted a gift from Mia – a Nissan Hardbody bakkie, valued at R156 400. He also obtained the use of a BMW 525 sedan valued at R566 250.
The State says Mia, either personally or through his companies, made several internet transfers into Simamane’s personal account or that of his soccer club, Island Football Club.
Between August 18, 2007 and April 1, 2011, R640 500 was paid into Island Football Club’s account. The State says Mia offered cars and money to ensure Simamane recommended his companies for the lease contracts.
The State alleges Simamane failed to declare to the department that Mia was providing accommodation to the client departments but ensured the funds from the departments were fraudulently made available to Mia and his companies.
Simamane is out on bail of R5 000 and Mia R10 000.