Hawks Head Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya says the elite crime-fighting agency is implementing a turnaround strategy in investigating high profile cases, including State capture probes.

Lebeya on Tuesday briefed Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police in Cape Town on investigations into the Estina, Steinhoff and VBS Mutual Bank cases.

“We are strengthening our working relations with stakeholders in a multi-disciplinary approach… We are intensifying the awareness within government institutions and other institutions that play a role in reporting crime,” he said.

Lebeya said the Hawks are doing all they can to guarantee the protection of whistle-blowers within government institutions to encourage their willingness to report corruption.

A breakdown of cases

Two cases of corruption, fraud and money laundering involving R2.4 billion were opened in Sandton. Three natural persons and companies have been identified so far.  This relates mainly to Eskom’s pre-payment of R659 million to Tegeta for the purchasing of Optimum Coal Holdings – facilitated via the Bank of Baroda.

Detectives are looking into another case relating to the misuse of the Rehabilitation Trust Fund of the Koornfontein Fund, amounting to R280 million, that was transferred upon an instruction to a Bank of Baroda account. An additional Rehabilitation Trust Fund amount of R1.4 billion was also transferred into a Bank of Baroda account.

In this case, Lebeya said 767 bank accounts’ information has been received as a result of a section 205 subpoenas. There are 3 800 sources of information under assessment.

Lebeya said PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is busy with analysis of the documents received. Over 1 800 pages of documents have been received from Eskom with the relevant witness statements. Over 40 witnesses for the initial phase have been identified and must be interviewed.

Vrede Dairy Project-Estina

In the Vrede Dairy Project-Estina matter involving R284 million, Lebeya said seven individuals – Peter Thabethe, Seipati Dhlamini, Takisi Masiteng, Kamal Vasram, Ashu Chalwa, Nazim Hower and Varun Gupta – were implicated accused persons facing charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering charges.

Estina had entered into an agreement with the Free State Department of Agriculture to establish, implement and manage dairy project Vrede to benefit previously disadvantaged persons to uplift local residents. While Estina was, according to the agreement, supposed to provide a capital injection of R228 million, the amount was transferred to the Bank of Baroda before being channelled to Oakbay Investments and other companies and individuals.

Lebeya said to date, 302 bank account reports have been received as a result of subpoenas and 139 witness statements have been obtained. Two search and seizure operations have been conducted and the services of an auditing firm have been procured to analyse the flow of funds.

The seven accused persons are out on bail ranging from R10 000 to R200 000 each and they are due to appear in court on Friday, 17 August 2018.

VBS Mutual Bank 

On the R311 million case involving VBS Mutual Bank and Vhembe District Municipality — where monies were invested with VBS by 10 Limpopo municipalities, in contravention of a Treasury instruction and the Municipal Finance Management Act — Lebeya said reports by the SA Reserve Bank and the provincial Treasury have been received by the Hawks.

He said a summary of alleged persons and companies involved have been compiled from reports and the case docket. A request for information was sent from the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) in respect of company names that have been identified. Bank account processes are still under consideration by the relevant institutions.

Steinhoff case

On the Steinhoff case, which was categorised under “serious commercial crimes”, Lebeya said the Hawks have received three dockets and a report in terms of Section 34 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act of 2004.

Steinhoff is facing allegations that during the 2014/15 financial year, it submitted false, misleading or deceptive financial statements to attract investors, in contravention of Section 81 of the Financial Markets Act.

Lebeya said the matter — which led to share prices plummeting when the scandal broke and in the process placing investments at risk — is still under investigation.

The National Prosecuting Authority, Department of Trade and Industry, Financial Sector Conduct Authority, the Independent Regulatory Board of Auditors and the JSE are part of the multi-disciplinary team that also includes Interpol to assist the Hawks.

Lebeya said, meanwhile, with regards to the attempted attack at Taqwa Mosque in De Deur on 31 July, a 36-year-old male suspect has been arrested. He appeared in court on 2 August. – SAnews.gov.za

By Ahmad Umar, Gombe.

Members of the National Youth Service Corps, Batch ‘B’ deployed to Gombe State, north-east of the country have been warned on late nights, indecent dressing, hate speech among other things  that could bring discords in the state.

The state Coordinator, Mr. David Pwanidi Markson gave  the warning at the closing ceremony of the 2018/Batch ‘B’ orientation course at Amada Village in Akko local government area of the state.

“Begets respect every society has its rules and regulations to prevent disorders and promote humanity.

“You must therefore respect the norm, culture and tradition of your host communities.

He also urged the  corps members to see  Gombe state as home away from home in order to give the service year . the best.

Mr Markson said that 70 percent of the corps were posted to the education sector,  while the remaining 30 percent were shared to other sectors in the state.

By Ahmad Umar

Youths have been urged to shun all forms of vices to guarantee their capacity and competence preparatory to becoming leaders of tomorrow

The State Gombe state Commissioner for be Finance and Gubernatorial Aspirant under the platform of People’s Democratic Party PDP, Hassan Muhammad gave the advice in a statement to mark the 2018 International Youth Day in the state

He also challenged the youth to start asking right questions, think positively and work harder in order to succeed in their lives.

“In Gombe state, we are lucky to have youth with sound minds and great potentials that if tapped will transform the state into robust economic hub considering its location in the centre of the North-eastern Nigeria”.

Muhammadu advised government at all levels to significantly invest in public, civic, physical and digital spaces to enable youth have access to education, training and decent jobs.

By so doing, he added, they would utilize their full potentials and to also freely express their views and pursue their dreams.

“Accordingly, empowering young people and ensuring their participation at all levels will help them shape a better and more equitable and prosperous future for us all”.

Youth as an untapped reservoir of talent, he said, should be given the right tools and environment to express their opinions, showcase their skills and unlock their potentials.

By Mohammed Munirat Nasir,

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has tasked Nigerians to inculcate the spirit of unity and love as no nation can develop in an environment of chaos and acrimony.

Osinbajo  gave the advice on Tuesday in Talata Mafara town while commissioning some projects in Zamfara state worth over N5.9 billion.

The acting President said Nigerians must shun all forms of negative behaviours which he said could  lead to disaffection and confusion in the country.

Osinbajo stated that federal government has put in place mechanism to wipe out banditry and other forms of criminality in Zamfara state and other parts of the country.

He said the current Administration is also working to improve the economic status of Nigerians through the implementations of good programmes and policies.

Earlier, Zamfara state  Governor,  Abdul’Aziz Yari Abubakar commended the federal government for the current success recorded in the fight against bandits and cattle rustlers in the state.

Yari said the recent surge in the deployment of troops and the required military arsenals have indeed made a huge impact as the combined operations of the Army, Air Force and other security agencies across the various blackspots in the state have succeeded in neutralising many bandits.

He urged the federal government to establish a rice milling plant in the state to reduce unemployment and also improve the economic base of the people.

“Talata Mafara local government area is the largest producer of rice in northern Nigeria and therefore we want a rice mill to be established”, he said.

The projects commissioned by Osinbajo are the renovated and expanded Government Girls College Talata Mafara, 12.8 Km New Bye Pass Road Talata Mafara and renovated and expanded Abubakar Tinau Primary School, Talata Mafara.

Others are upgraded 150 bed General Hospital Bakura and New Gamji Water Project in Gamji village, Bakura Local Government area.

By Ahmad Umar

Few days to end the continue voter registration exercise in Nigeria, an All Progressives Congress (APC) Gubernatorial aspirant in Gombe State north-east of the Country, Inuwa Yahaya has enjoined his supporters not to hesitate in  obtaining their voters card.

The Aspirant was speaking to newsmen shortly after commissioning  his campaign office in Gombe which he named  after President Muhammad Buhari.

He pointed out that, only with the voter card, people could elect leaders of their choice.

The aspirant who spoke against the current economic hardship in Gombe state under the Dankwambo led PDP administration, assured that by 2019 Gombe state will become APC for the better.

He said, Gombe state being dependant on federation account and the people mostly farmers, there was therefore the need to focus more on farming that would turn around towards reducing the rate of unemployment, especially among the youth.

“On defection he said ” Defection, as far as I’m concern was for those people that are really not committed they are not principled, they are only there but deep inside are not really APC, so the masses are those that made the backbone and the success of Mr. President and they are still with him”.

He advised other contestants and party supporters to consider politics as sport and a game adding that  in every sport there has to be a winer and a loser.

He distributed 15 vehicles to the party Chairmen in the 11 local government areas and  3 senatorial zones as well as  115 motorcycles for ward Chairmen  and 12 to the Secretaries of the local governments