Former Thulamela local municipality mayor Avhashoni Stephen Tshifhango will step in the dock on February 26 in his own defence.
The former mayor is defending himself against a corruption charge related to the looting of the now-defunct VBS mutual bank.
The case is being heard in the Polokwane Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Polokwane, Limpopo.
Implicated in the Great Bank Heist
Tshifhango and his erstwhile municipal manager Hlengani Emanuel Maluleke were arrested in 2022 in relation to the collapse of the bank. The malfeasance that occurred there became known as The Great Bank Heist.
Tshifhango allegedly received a Jeep Cherokee 3.6L VVT Overland valued at R638 400 after the municipal manager invested R30 million of municipality money with the bank in contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
The duo were each granted bail of R30 000.
The car was bought using VBS money, registered in Tshifhango’s name
The paper trail presented in court confirmed that the vehicle was bought with VBS money. It was later registered under the bank while Oupa Muvhango became its first title holder, according to an E-Natis certificate.
Further evidence confirmed that the purchase was executed under suspicious circumstances. This as payment was via electronic funds transfer and the car then delivered to Tshifhango at OR Tambo International Airport.
A witness who testified on Tuesday, Leon Kotze, said most of the communication was via email and he never met the buyer.
Kotze said he was working for Ignition Vehicle Rental, which often facilitated the purchase and rental of cars to companies and individuals.
Everything looked legit, says witness
“Everything looked legit because the emails and transactions came from a municipality. We were liaising with two gentlemen known as Russell and Abey. It was a great business opportunity and we couldn’t miss [it],” he said.
Another witness, Ismail Ibrahim, a Polokwane-based car dealer, said he learnt that the car was for sale and wanted to buy it.
Ibrahim, a sole director of ISCARS, said he was contacted by someone who said he could travel to Midrand in Gauteng to go and view the car if he was interested.
“I went there and found the car with the keys. I was welcomed but one thing for sure was that the person I spoke to was not the owner of the car. The car was registered under Tshifhango and I eventually deposited the money into VBS with the reference of Tshifhango,” he said.
When magistrate Tom Kganyago asked Kotze and Ibrahim if they ever met Tshifhango, both said no.
The court is expected sit for the whole week.
