Assets of businessman facing theft, fraud charges restrained

The North West High Court has granted the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) and the Hawks a restraint order on assets worth more than R21m belonging to Caswell Mthombeni, who is facing fraud, theft and money laundering charges. 

These include luxury properties in Mooikloof Heights Estate in Pretoria East, a filling station in Giyani in Limpopo and six other immovable properties located in Limpopo, Gauteng and Mpumalanga. The order also includes 25 vehicles, mostly bakkies. There is also a Range Rover and a Mercedes-Benz GLE63. 

Mthombeni, 52, who is charged with his company Caswell Mthombeni Consultants CC, made his first appearance in the Mahikeng magistrate’s court on June 27 last year to face the criminal charges. 

He was granted R50,000 bail and the court ordered him to surrender his passport and not to interfere with the state’s witnesses.

In October 2015, Mthombeni was appointed by the North West department of community safety and transport management to help the department achieve its road safety objectives. These included training unemployed matriculants and empowering accredited driving schools in various areas. His mandate also included training and developing driving schools and learner drivers. 

“An amount of over R21m was allegedly paid to his company for the commencement of the programme. Over 40 driving schools allegedly signed contracts with the company as beneficiaries of the programme,” the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority said in a joint statement on Friday.

The driving schools used their funds to participate in the programme in anticipation that Mthombeni’s company would compensate them. Mthombeni allegedly failed to honour his contractual agreement with the driving schools. 

“As a result, the department incurred losses to the tune of over R21m” 

He is expected back in court on March 27. 

TimesLIVE