Johannesburg - The R37 million fraud case against Gupta associates involving the Estina dairy project has been transferred to the regional court for next month.
The Pretoria Magistrate’s Court On Friday remanded the matter against director Kamal Vasram and co-accused Saliesh Indurjeeth to March 9.
According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Investigating Directorate (ID) national spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka, the pair face charges linked to the failed Free State Estina dairy project.
“Their matter has been postponed for the disclosing of the case docket as well as for their attorneys’ financial instructions and instructions on the merits of the case,” Seboka said.
She said the two faced charges of fraud, contravention of section 54(1)(A) of the International Trade Administration Act and contravention of regulation 22 of the Exchange Control Act - charges arising from a joint investigation by the South African Revenue Service (Sars) and the ID.
“The investigation revealed that Estina submitted customs clearance documents (SAD 500 and invoice), in support of a VAT refund claim. The customs declaration was then scrutinised whereupon the declared value of over R37.7 million for a so-called new pasteurisation plant was suspected to be excessively high,” Seboka said.
“The suspected overpriced pasteurisation plant which was imported from India was rather invoiced to Estina by Gateway Limited in the United Arab Emirates”.
She evidence already in the public domain suggested that Gateway was used and controlled by the Guptas, as a conduit to launder money and to extract funds from South Africa.
“The State further alleges that the overstated or inflated value was intentionally and unlawfully used by Estina and its sole director - Vasram to launder funds from South Africa, to the prejudice of the tax paying public in general,” Seboka said.
ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za
Political Bureau