The family of Ridwaan Rajah, who was sentenced at the Western Cape High Court for theft and perjury this week, are set to take on the State for alleged malicious prosecution.
Speaking to the Daily Voice after Ridwaan was handed down a suspended six-year sentence and his family’s company, Good Hope Construction, was fined R200 000, brother Raziek said they are preparing an appeal.
According to a statement by Hawks spokesperson , Lieutenant-Colonel Siyabulela Vukubi, Ridwaan was awarded a tender by the Department of Public Works to do internal and external renovations to the Parliamentary Precinct in Cape Town in 2010.
“In his founding affidavit, the accused misrepresented and stated that the full amount of R500 000 was in respect of an advance payment made to the sub-contractor, namely Winlite Aluminum and Doors (Pty) Ltd,” Vukubi stated.
“It was later discovered that the accused did not pay the full amount over to the sub-contractor, which he never disclosed in the notice of motion proceedings, but withheld an amount of R51 903.”
Ridwaan was sentenced to six years in jail which is wholly suspended for five years for theft, and 12 months wholly suspended for perjury. The R200k fine was also wholly suspended for five years.
His family will approach the Supreme Court of Appeal to challenge the verdict.
“The R51 000 they refer to is the retainer fee as per the building contract with Winlite and it was lawful,” Raziek explained.
“We are appealing but we are also taking the state on for malicious prosecution of my brother.
“This case is not in isolation of the case against me and the kidnapping of my father, Ismail.
“All of this started after we questioned the unlawful cancellation of state tenders, of which one was the staircase project for the rental units on the Cape Flats.”
dailyvoice@inl.co.za