The estranged wife of footwear brand Drip boss Lekau Sehoana has been released from police custody after her matter was not put on the court roll due to lack of evidence.
Lebogang Machaba was expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday but did not come to the court because her matter was not enrolled.
She was arrested at her home in Waterfall Country Estates in Midrand, Johannesburg on Friday night following allegations of extortion and conspiracy to commit murder.
Machaba was nabbed after the businessman opened cases against her, claiming that he had to flee to Paris, France, for his safety after his estranged wife allegedly hired hitmen to kill him.
This allegedly happened in the midst of a fight between the two over shares in his footwear empire, which Lebogang claims to have helped to start while they were still together.
Police spokesperson Mavela Masondo confirmed Machaba’s arrest and said she was expected to appear at the Pretoria Magistrate’s court on Monday.
“The 34-year-old suspect was arrested on Friday and charged with Conspiracy to commit murder. She is expected to appear before Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 26 June,” Masondo said.
However, Machaba did not appear in court as expected on Monday.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said Machaba’s matter was not placed on the court roll for the day.
She said: “The matter was not enrolled due to insufficient evidence.”
Machaba spent the weekend at the Silverton Police Station after police arrested her following weeks of trying to trace her.
Sunday World has seen a confession statement deposed at the police station by an alleged hitman, who put Lebogang at the centre of a plot to murder the businessman. The hitman stated that he was roped in by his accomplice from Diepsloot township in November 2021 that they were needed to carry out the hit.
The statement read: “On the same day later (name withheld) came with a lady driving in a black BMW X4 and we entered at the back seat and (name withheld) introduced her as Lebogang, the owner of Drip Footwear and that the lady is offering us an amount of one million and two hundred thousand (R1.2-million) if we can be successful for killing her husband known as Lekau Freddy Sehoana.”
In the chilling statement, the hitman allege that he agreed to be part of the job and asked for a down-payment of R200 000 for him and his accomplice.
“The photos of the husband was sent to us, Lebogang then told us that the money is not a problem but we have to give her four days so that she can be able to withdraw fifty thousands each day and requested that during our next meeting we should sell her a cocked firearm to protect herself.”
The hit was allegedly not carried as planned, as the businessman was tipped off and a case was opened. The police were allegedly in and out of Lebogang’s estate in the last three weeks but could not trace her.
In April, Sunday World reported that a war has broken out between Lekau and Lebogang over the ownership and shares of his businesses, forcing him to open another case of extortion against her at the Midrand police station.
Lebogang also allegedly tried to get the businessman arrested when she unleashed the police on him about two weeks after he cocked a snook at her demands to give her 50% shares of the company.
Gauteng Police confirmed that the case of extortion was under investigation at the time: “We can confirm that a case of extortion has been opened at Pretoria Central Police [station] and the investigation is underway,” Masondo said.
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