Juju hits back at Gordhan

TIT FOR TAT: CHARGES INCLUDE PERJURY, CORRUPTION

Malema also opens case against minister’s daughter Anisha Gordhan.

There was confidence and defiance in the demeanour of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema yesterday when he walked out of Brooklyn police station in Pretoria after filing charges against Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan.

Malema was striking back after Gordhan on Monday opened a case of crimen injuria, criminal defamation and incitement of violence against the EFF leader and his deputy, Floyd Shivambu, at the same police station.

Gordhan had been subject to attacks by the EFF, which accused him of enabling state capture and having a corrupt daughter.

Malema, accompanied by Shivambu and secretary-general Gordrich Gardee, laid five charges against Gordhan: fraud, perjury, corruption, racketeering and money laundering.

He claims Gordhan opened an account at Royal Bank of Canada, with a balance of over $48 756 292 (more than R665 million).

According to a copy of Malema’s charge sheet, Gordhan “ordered various taxpayers to deposit large amounts of money into said account in exchange for favours, which were to the detriment of the fiscus”.

He accused Gordhan of intending to defraud contributors to the bank account with the intention of benefitting himself and his family.

He also charged Gordhan of “forming or participating” in the “unlawful intelligence gathering” of the Sars rogue unit, and “caused the said rogue unit to spy on taxpayers, politicians belonging to the ruling party and other political parties, business persons and other citizens”.

Malema also gunned for Gordhan’s daughter, Anisha Gordhan, charging her with fraud and corruption for “participating in government business...”, while failing to report her father’s “known corrupt activities”.

Malema and his party were cautioned by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo to not intimidate witnesses and lawyers who are testifying in the state capture inquiry or he will be charged. Malema said he was willing to go to prison for criticising corruption. –