12 suspects are scheduled to appear in court again on Wednesday for bail hearing.
The former bodyguard of slain rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes, is one of the individuals apprehended in connection with the alleged criminal activities at the University of Fort Hare (UFH).
Anwar Khan and 14 co-accused appeared in Dimbaza Magistrate’s Court in Eastern Cape for the first time on Tuesday.
This follows their arrest in various provinces over the Easter weekend.
Charges
The 15 suspects are facing a string of charges ranging from fraud, corruption and racketeering, according to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
The South African Police Service (Saps) initially indicated that the suspects would face charges of murder and attempted murder as well.
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But NPA Eastern Cape spokesperson Luxulo Tyali clarified to The Citizen that this was not the case.
The other accused include UFH’s former director of human resources Paul Tladi and the university’s financial manager, Louis Mawila and additional staff members.
So far, authorities have apprehended 25 individuals in connection with criminal activities occurring at the the tertiary institution.
Suspects bail
The state informed that the court during proceedings on Tuesday that it would only oppose bail for Khan and his 11 co-accused.
The 12 suspects are scheduled to appear in court again on Wednesday for bail hearing.
Tyali confirmed that accused one, Isaac Plaatjies, who is UFH’s director of investigations and vetting services, abandoned his bail application after it was previously denied.
Plaatjies has been in custody ever since his arrest in November.
Additionally, accused eight, Gosain Wayne van Haar and accused 12, Sarah Pearl Burger will be released after being granted bail of R50 000 each with several conditions.
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Burger is reportedly a Cape Town-based legal practitioner, while Van Haar works for the university’s information technology department.
All suspects have been accused of defrauding the Eastern Cape-based institution to the tune of R171 million.
They were arrested by a special team investigating corruption at UFH, which resulted in staff being killed and targeted for assassination.
Police Minister Bheki Cele told the media on the sidelines that it appeared that the task team was “doing a good job”.
Fort Hare killings
Meanwhile, 10 individuals have been charged with the killings connected to the university.
The suspects are also accused of the attempted murders of UFH vice-chancellor Professor Sakhele Buhlungu and his deputy, Renuka Vithal.
Plaatjies, Bongani Peter, Sicelo Mbulawa, Wanini Khuza, Mthobisi Khanyile, Mthobisi Dlamini, Lindokuhle Manjati, Zimele Chiliza, Phelisa Nkonyeni and Thamsanqa Mgotyana all face two counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, reckless discharge of firearm, theft of a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
Peter, Mbulawa and Khuza are additionally charged with fraud.
Nkonyeni and Chiliza were released on R50 000 and R100 000 bail respectively, while Mbulawa was granted R75 000 bail.
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UFH has seen several violent attacks recently after the university started clamping down on corruption.
The university’s fleet manager Petrus Roets met a fatal end when he was shot dead near East London in May 2022.
It is alleged that a R5 million reward was offered to assasinate Buhlungu.
His bodyguard, Richard Mboneli Vesele was killed in a hail of bullets on 6 January 2023.
Few months later, Buhlungu’s second bodyguard was killed in a hit-and-run accident.
