Joburg ‘godfather’ in platinum and gem smuggling case

A SELF-STYLED Italian godfather allegedly masterminded the smuggling of millions of rands’ worth of platinum and uncut diamonds from behind the walls of their family compound in a Johannesburg suburb.

But the slow sting of a two-year undercover operation appears to have brought down the alleged family syndicate that saw diamonds and platinum being smuggled out of the country through OR Tambo International Airport.

Appearing in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court yesterday, the family patri- arch, Giandomenico Mugnaioni, and five others stood quietly in the dock ahead of what was meant to be the start of their trial.

The 70-year-old Giandomenico, of Italian descent and dubbed “the godfather” by investigators, was flanked by his brother Marcellino, his sons Gianluca and Stefano, family friend Jean-Claude Nicol and alleged former girlfriend of Giandomenico, Lynette Pretorius.

The Mugnaionis and friends were arrested in September 2011 following an investigation lasting five years and are now facing a slew of charges including money laundering, racketeering, theft and the illegal possession of and dealing in precious metals.

The state believes that the family were illegally smuggling diamonds and platinum since March 2001. A breakthrough in the case came when police were able to infiltrate the family operation for the first time in 2008, after monitoring their activities since 2006.

A detailed indictment outlines how the 50-year-old Pretorius was the trigger for the trap to be sprung.

She allegedly contacted a police officer in February 2008 to get information – for a fee – on the police’s investigation into the family and others.

Pretorius was introduced to a second “corrupt” officer who was in fact an undercover agent. She introduced the agent to Giandomenico in March 2008 and more meetings followed.

At these meetings, spanning a period of two years, the agent was paid R195 000 in total for information and to ensure the safe passage of precious metals through OR Tambo International Airport.

During this time, the agent also visited the family’s Tembop Recovery CC business in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria. This is where minerals were supposedly recovered but the agent found that the recovery plant was inactive.

Once the agent had gathered enough evidence, search and seizure orders were obtained and the family’s homes were raided in 2011 and arrests made.

Investigating officer Warrant Officer Vanessa Meyer from the West Rand Organised Crime Unit has remained mum on exactly where the diamonds and platinum were exported to or how they were stolen from the mines.

Yesterday, the trial was postponed because the Mugnaionis brought a court application to have the platinum, worth R10-million, that was seized from their Johannesburg homes in 2011 returned to them.

Their lawyer, Danie Dorfling SC, said the state had no proof that his clients unlawfully acquired the platinum.

Forensic experts found that the diamonds and platinum seized came from various mines on the platinum belt, including Lonmin, Impala and Northam.

After a brief court appearance, Dorfling said the state had no evidence to prove its case, and should the application to have their platinum returned be successful, it would severely impact the state’s case.

The six accused will return to court in November.