Investigations into Steinhoff corporate scandal still incomplete, court hears
The last time the matter was in court in March, the State indicated investigations were '95% complete' but this was refuted during Wednesday’s proceedings.
Picture: AFP
JOHANNESBURG - The Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria has heard how investigations into the Steinhoff corporate scandal are still incomplete, contrary to earlier reports.
This emerged on Wednesday, when former company secretary and head of legal, Stephan Grobler, made his second appearance, alongside former CFO, Andries "Ben" la Grange, who made his first.
The last time the matter was in court in March, the State indicated investigations were "95% complete" but this was refuted during Wednesday’s proceedings.
La Grange was granted bail of R150,000 unopposed by the State.
And in an affidavit the State put up, setting out its position, in which it said La Grange wasn't considered a flight risk, it also provided an update on the status of the investigations, in which it identified three aspects thereof that it said were still outstanding.
Firstly, it said that the death by suicide of former Steinhoff CEO, Markus Jooste, who was initially cited as accused number one in the case, resulted in "the consequential revising and restructuring of the forensic audit report" and that they’re now still waiting for the final version.
The State has also sent mutual legal requests to seven different countries to obtain bank statements and company documents, among other things, and said it was still waiting on two - Australia and France.
And it said that "a few" witness statements were still outstanding.
The case has now been postponed until early October - how far the investigations will be by then, remains to be seen.