Evidence leaders at the Madlanga Commission question payments of more than R42 million linked to businessman Suleiman Carrim and Luthaga Trading.
Transfers of money between North West businessman Suleiman Carrim’s company Tameez and Luthaga Trading Enterprises could amount to money laundering, the Madlanga Commission heard.
The statement was made by evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson, who suggested that payments from Carrim’s company to Luthaga Trading Enterprises, linked to controversial businessman Hangwani Morgan Maumela, could potentially amount to money laundering and lead to possible criminal consequences.
Evidence leaders suggested that the payments could have been structured to avoid a possible SARS preservation order.
Carrim, however, insisted that he acted in good faith and believed he was doing business with honourable people.
While appearing before the Madlanga Commission, Carrim explained why one of his companies transferred more than R42 million to a company linked to Morgan Maumela’s sister.
He told the commission that he first met Maumela in 2022 when Maumela assisted him with repairs and upgrades at his house, which had previously belonged to Maumela.
The two later became friendly and began discussing a possible chrome mining venture.
According to Carrim, the plan was for both of them to contribute about R50 million to the project through a new entity called Chrome Core.
Carrim said Maumela eventually transferred around R56 million, which he said came from the sale of an asset, to help fund the venture.
However, Carrim testified that the business arrangement eventually fell apart.
He told the commission that after the money had been transferred, Maumela requested that a large portion of it be returned, saying he urgently needed funds to deal with penalties linked to construction work at his home.
Carrim said he agreed to return the funds because the money belonged to Maumela.
He testified that the funds were transferred to Luthaga Trading, a company he said belongs to Maumela’s sister, after Maumela instructed him to make the payments to that account.
However, evidence leaders suggested there may have been another reason for using that account.
They questioned whether the payments were structured in that way to avoid a possible SARS preservation order that could have resulted in Maumela’s own bank accounts being frozen.
Carrim told the commission he was unaware of any preservation order at the time and said he only later learned through media reports that Maumela was facing financial and legal challenges.