The trial involving the R6.7 million worth of diamonds that went missing from a safe at the Kimberley International Diamond and Jewellery Academy will be transferred to the Northern Cape High Court.
THE TRIAL involving the R6.7 million diamonds that went missing from a safe at the Kimberley International Diamond and Jewellery Academy (Kidja) will be transferred to the Northern Cape High Court.
Senior officials from the Northern Cape Department of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, including the former head of the department (HOD), Patrick Seboko, 66, the senior manager, project team responsible for diamond strategy, Tebogo Gaborone, 46, the chief director of trade and sector development, Lizette Wyngaard, 56, and the chief financial officer (CFO), Kuberin Packirisamy, 60, appeared in the specialised commercial crimes court in Kimberley on Tuesday.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said the accused were facing numerous charges including contraventions of the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), contraventions of the Diamond Act (dealing in uncut diamonds without a permit) and fraud.
“The case was previously postponed as one of the accused’s legal representatives had requested the court to grant him time to familiarise himself with the contents of the charge sheet. All four accused remain out on bail as they were each granted R10,000 bail,” said Senokoatsane.
He added that advocate Lentswe Setoute from the Specialised Commercial Crimes Unit (SCCU) of the NPA notified the court that the State would be transferring the matter to the Northern Cape High Court.
“The case was adjourned until June 7 to allow the prosecution and the defence teams to arrange a suitable date to be able to transfer the matter to the Northern Cape High Court.”
