Award-winning hip-hop artist Emtee and his estranged wife Nicole Kendal are at each other’s throats again.
This after the musician transferred over R500 000 from their trust account in what Kendal believes is Emtee’s attempt to bankrupt their joint estate ahead of divorce.
Kendal has applied for an urgent court interdict in the Joburg High Court to force Emtee to pay the funds back into the trust account within two days of obtaining the order.
She also wants the order to prevent him from taking loans against their assets, dissipating their assets, or depleting the bank account of Emtee Records or trust account, or selling shares in Africa Trap Movement.
Kendal also wants the funds in the trust account to remain preserved until the finalisation of divorce proceedings at the Randburg magistrate’s court.
In the court papers which we have seen, she says they tied the knot in community of property, noting that the union was solemnized in Alexandra, north of Johannesburg on July 15 2019.
She further says in the papers that before concluding the marriage, they were blessed with two children born on January 29 2018 and May 4 2023, respectively.
The estranged couple’s last child, she explains, was born just after Emtee vacated their matrimonial home following the couple’s much-publicized domestic violence squabble which resulted in the rapper being arrested for allegedly assaulting her.
Emtee was let scot-free after Kendal extended an olive branch and withdrew the case against him about three weeks ago.
She also explains in the court papers that in August 2022, Emtee formed a trust and appointed his friend and lawyer Dumisani Motsamai of Morolong Inc as a trustee.
As a trustee herself, Kendal has access to banking notifications on her cellphone.
“On or about 2 May 2023, I received a notification from FNB that a sum of R599 603.00 had been transferred from the trust account to a cheque account ending with [numbers withheld],” read the court papers in part.
She further says in the papers that Emtee and Motsamai could be the only two people who could have authorised the transaction for such a huge amount.
The notification, she states, took her by surprise, because there was never a meeting among the trustees to authorise the transaction.
“It is not clear from the notification what the reason for the transfer was, and to which bank account it was transferred.
“My apprehension is that it is a clear act of dissipation and an attempt at hiding funds from me by the first respondent, either acting alone or in concert with Dumisani,” read the papers.
Nicole also accuses Emtee of seeking to deplete the assets of the trust, so that if she secures a decree of divorce and obtaines an order to share the assets, she could walk away with nothing.
“It would appear from the first respondent’s conduct that he intends on moving assets of the joint estate and those of trust to defeat my rights in the pending divorce action.”
Nicole further highlights that the award-winning rapper might be having shares, a stake and/or assets in companies such as Emtee Records and African Trap Movement.
She notes that although she does not know the value of his shares in Emtee Records, she does know that the company is a lucrative and profitable business that generates income on an ongoing basis.
“This is so because for several years now, the first respondent, the children and I have survived and lived off the bank accounts of Emtee Records.”
The artist, she explains further in the court papers, has cut her off and blocked her from accessing the account, noting that although she does not have sufficient information about African Trap Movement, she is certain that he is one of the four directors of the company.
“This creates an impression on me [sic] that he owns a quarter of the stake and all interest in African Trap Movement.”
Kendal does not own any assets except a laptop, cellphone, jewellery and clothing, she explains further.
“The remainder of the assets that are at my disposal are the household furniture that belongs to the joint estate between the first respondent and I.
“The personal effects, gadget and clothes that I own have an approximate value of R100 000,” read the papers.
Among his other assets, says Kendal in the papers, Emtee has a studio and other music production equipment, clothes, jewellery and other personal assets and funds that are in the trust.
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