The asset forfeiture unit of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has discovered and seized further assets worth more than R100m belonging to fraud and corruption accused businessman Edwin Sodi.
Investigators swooped on two posh houses worth R60m and R48m found in the high-end suburbs of Clifton and Fresnaye in Cape Town as well as other luxury vehicles to add to the list of Sodi's assets that have been forfeited to the state.
Sowetan has established that the asset forfeiture unit was in Cape Town yesterday attaching Sodi’s additional assets, with insiders saying they were “shocked” to find them.
NPA spokesperson Sipho Ngwema confirmed that more assets were discovered in Cape Town but said he was not at liberty to share details. “Indeed, the curator found more assets in Cape Town like properties and luxurious cars. We still await a full report from the curator on the entire inventory.”
The discovery of the treasures comes after 29 vehicles, 27 properties and 19 active bank accounts were seized by the state in Johannesburg three weeks ago.
The NPA obtained an order to freeze R300m worth of assets belonging to Sodi and his six co-accused, including former Mangaung mayor Olly Mlamleli and former HOD of the Free State’s department of human settlements Nthimotse Mokhesi, who stand accused in the fraud and corruption case related to the R255m Free State project to remove asbestos roofs.
The seven accused were all arrested earlier this month and appeared in the Bloemfontein High Court, where they were released on bail ranging from R500,000 for Sodi to R100,000 for the former Free State human settlements supply chain head Mahlomola John Matlakala.
A source close to the investigation told Sowetan that the NPA found that when declaring his assets, which were attached in Johannesburg earlier this month, Sodi failed to inform them that he also had additional properties in Cape Town worth millions of rand.
The houses and cars, according to the insider, were first identified when the Hawks tracked Sodi ahead of his appearance before the commission of inquiry into state capture and his subsequent arrest a day later. “Remember, the arrest happened on Wednesday and he appeared at the commission on Monday, so when he appeared there he was coming from this house in Clifton.”
Another insider said: “They [investigators] had been tracking him to know where he was at any given time and that morning he came from there. They have attached them [the assets] but they are waiting for the finalisation of the court case to grant the final order and then all of these will have to be auctioned for the state to recover the money.”
The state pounced on Sodi’s company Blackhead Consulting earlier this month, seizing assets worth millions of rand including houses and expensive cars. The luxury cars included a 2017 white Bentley Continental GT coupe with a book value of between R3m and R5m, a 2017 red Ferrari Four F151 with a book value of at least R3m, as well as a 2019 black Porsche Cayenne S Coupe valued at just under R2m.
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