Allegations against trustees dismissed

THE Durban High Court has dismissed claims that three trustees at the Shri Mariammen Temple Society in Mount Edgecombe had misappropriated the temple’s funds.

In a summons, Dave Marie, a former devotee at the temple, accused the trustees, Seelan Achary, Moonsamy Sigamoney and Pragalathan Chinsamy, of misusing the temple’s funds. The matter has been in court since 2016.

Marie, a businessman from Umdloti, claimed the trustees, who are also businessmen, did not ensure proper financial records were kept.

He said they did not ensure that a balance sheet reflecting the assets of the trust was prepared in respect of each financial year since 2002.

Marie claimed that they failed to ensure that an audited revenue and expenditure account with a balance was presented before a public annual general meeting since 2002.

Marie resigned as a trustee in 2014.

Last month, Judge Rishaad Vahed ruled in favour of the temple and dismissed Marie’s claims with costs.

He said the evidence was lacking.

Achary said: “I am happy the judge ruled in our favour. We hoped to get closure in the matter.

“In 2015, an anonymous dossier was doing the rounds with similar allegations against the temple.

“This was a smear campaign to discredit us but we have been vindicated.”

Marie declined to comment.