The suspects accused of selling municipal plots for nearly R1 million must stay in jail after an outbreak of diphtheria in Pollsmoor Prison
Gerrit Engelbrecht, 56, Neil Welman, 51, and co-accused Lennox Ntsodo appeared in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court on Thursday for a bail hearing outcome, but the matter was put on hold due to their co-accused not being present.
They face fraud charges for allegedly pretending to be employees of the City of Cape Town, and selling plots of land for R100 000 apiece in Mfuleni.
The trio were arrested last month alongside Nombongo Bidi who is accused number two in the matter, following an extensive investigation that had been running since July 2022.
Ntsodo and Bidi were not employed by the City and allegedly pocketed a substantial amount of money from complainants.
Engelbrecht, Welman and a smiling Ntsodo entered the dock, but were dealt a blow as the state indicated that their bail judgement couldn’t continue due to Bidi not being present at court.
State prosecutors said it was in the best interest of justice to postpone the matter, as Bidi wasn’t in court due to an outbreak of diphtheria disease at Pollsmoor Correctional Centre.
The news wasn’t welcomed by the trio’s legal representatives, who described it as an urgent matter.
Bidi’s defence stated he had received a message from his client that she wasn’t picked up by the transport at Pollsmoor and said the case should continue without her.
However, the magistrate said the decision was out of his control and postponed the matter to Monday for bail judgment.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za