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UNDER PROBE: Suspended national police boss General Bheki Cele. PHOTO: MOHAU MOFOKENG

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Cele arrived alone at the Durban Magistrate’s Court sporting one of his trademark hats.

He sat in the public gallery and smiled at Mpisane when she entered the dock.

While Mpisane’s friends and family, dressed in branded clothing, flashy jewellery and high-wedged shoes, lingered in the foyer when proceedings adjourned for lunch, Cele left the courthouse.

He began laughing at the sight of at least seven press photographers waiting for him. “You are acting like the president is coming out of court,” he said to photographers as he walked towards his car.

His spokesman, Vuyo Mkhize, later said Cele regarded Mpisane as his daughter.

“I would not say that she is a close family friend because she is more like a foster daughter. She is the daughter of late friends of Mr Cele.

“He was in town so he thought it would be good to go and support a woman whom he regards as a daughter,” he said.

Mkhize said Cele has “still heard nothing on his fate”.

“He has always said that he would gladly walk away if asked to but he would fight if the decision to ask him to walk away was based on something unfair. In this case, the report of the board of inquiry by Justice Jake Moloi is what he is willing to fight against because it is unfair,” Mkhize said.

Last month a board of inquiry led by Moloi recommended that Cele be fired. It said he was “dishonest” and was unfit for office because of his role in the R1.7-billion police offices leasing scandal .

The board was appointed by President Jacob Zuma six months after Public Protector Thuli Madonsela found that Cele was guilty of “maladministration” and his involvement in the deals was “improper”.

The board found that senior members of the police had lied to protect Cele and that many of the written public submissions in support of Cele were identical but for the names of the deponents .

In a letter Cele wrote to Zuma last month, he maintained that the board’s findings should be ignored.

The two met in Durban last week but the government has not disclosed what they discussed .

Mpisane’s trial was postponed yesterday to allow the State to prepare its response to her application for more information on the 119 charges she is facing.

Wim Trengove SC told the court that the State had failed to disclose the names of those with whom Mpisane supposedly worked in the alleged fraud.

Mpisane allegedly submitted revised financial statements to the SA Revenue Service in which her company, Zikhulise Cleaning, made irregular and inflated claims with respect to purchases in 2008 to reduce its tax burden .

The State alleges that the company’s book-keeper, Kishal Reddy, forged four invoices, allegedly on Mpisane’s instruction, to reflect purchases of more than R5-million.

“Accused 2 (Mpisane) doesn’t know what the State’s case is and what did she do, where and when did she do it. She has a right to know what the State is alleging was her role in this fraud,” Trengove said.

The State will respond today .

Mpisane is also charged with contravening the Companies Act relating to her 2005 conviction for fraud.

Mpisane’s husband, Sbu, a former metro police constable, was investigated by the DA three years ago.

The party questioned how he could afford to drive a Lamborghini on a R15,000-a-month salary.

He resigned from the police and joined his wife’s company, which earned millions in contracts it was awarded by the Durban metro and the KwaZulu-Natal government.

Comments

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Mon May 20 09:46:23 SAST 2013 ::

Jun 12, 2012

guiliano

While you are at it ask them to employ you.
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Jun 12, 2012

CheeseBoy

this is beggining to sound like it runs in the family blood.
father - fraud charges
step/daughter - fraud chages

next is brother, mother, wife, sister, granny, sons.
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Jun 12, 2012

Noir19

Is time we seek leaders with high moral std, how do you Cele as a General of police be seen as supporting people who are accused of corruption when the nation is crippled by corruption.
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Jun 12, 2012

truthhurt

I know Sowetan blocked comments on the Lesbian couple that got married, but i must just say that this world is coming to an end hey, Women should not be that way, thats just my feelings.
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Jun 12, 2012

Pointman

I know people in the accounting profession who will no longer falsify financial statements because SARS is so efficient at uncovering fraud. They can cross check everything from your restaurant bills to the kind of car you drive and holidays you take. If you spend more than you earn you can no longer escape their net. Wonder why they have been dragging their feet on Malema though.
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Jun 12, 2012

DjEp

Cele, when we close one case you bodly open another one. You cannot be associated with criminals if you are not one.. so clearly Cele ur a thug.
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Jun 12, 2012

BrothaX

I do not see anything wrong with Ndosi attending this particular court hearing. What happened to innocent until proven guilty or does this apply to some?
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Jun 12, 2012

lindsay

@truthhurts

who died and made you a moral compass for women on how to behave ?
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Jun 12, 2012

PORQUENOMEQUIERES

Blood is thicker than water!
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Jun 12, 2012

Lehido

Why am I not surprised?
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