Detention warrant issued for Block
WHILE a detention warrant has been issued for former ANC provincial chairperson John Block and the CEO of the Trifecta group of companies, Christo Scholtz, no formal confirmation has been received regarding when they have to hand themselves over to a Correctional Services facility.
It was, however, reliably learnt that Block and Scholtz are supposed to start serving their 15-year sentences from today.
Both Block and Scholtz last week Monday lost their application for leave to appeal to the Constitutional Court against their conviction and sentences.
They were found guilty on charges of corruption and money laundering in the Northern Cape High Court in 2016, where leases were concluded for government offices in the Northern Cape with the Trifecta group of companies in exchange for gratifications in the form of shares, cash and renovations to properties. The Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed their application against their conviction and sentence in August.
Spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Phaladi Shuping, yesterday stated that the matter was now out of their hands.
“The registrar of the Northern Cape High Court will have to issue a detention warrant indicating the date as to when the accused should hand themselves over,” said Shuping.
He had last week indicated that Block and Scholtz would have between five to seven days in which to present themselves to Correctional Services, once they had been informed by their legal representatives of the outcome of the Constitutional Court judgment that was handed down on November 19.
None of their legal representatives had yesterday replied to media enquiries by the time of going to print.
It was yesterday confirmed that the Northern Cape High Court Judge President had signed the detention warrants. However, no further details were disclosed.
The Department of Correctional Services acting regional commissioner in the Free State and Northern Cape, Kenneth Mthombeni, stated that they had no knowledge of a detention warrant or the date as to when Block and Scholtz had to hand themselves over.
“Whoever comes into the facility must first have all the requested documentation including the warrant of detention. When and where they report to the facility is outside our control. The detention warrant will stipulate to an accused when and where they should hand themselves over,” said Mthombeni.