A trial of the members of the alleged illicit gold-trading syndicate which operated from Carletonville will begin in February.
The accused appeared at the Pretoria high court on Wednesday for a pre-trial conference and the matter was postponed to February 2025 for trial.
Bethuel Ngobeni, also known as Zingai Dhliwayo, appeared with eight other co-accused – Nhlanhla Magwaca (real name James Sigauke), Zimbabweans Dumisa Moyo and Kudzai Mashaya and SA brothers Thabo and Moseki Sechele while others are Ngobeni’s lover Lerato Bathabeng, Poppy Mathongwane and Neo Duba. They are facing charges of trading in illicit gold, money laundering, fraud, racketeering and violating the Immigration Act, among others.
Both the state and the defence agreed that in November they will meet in court to finalise the logistics of the trial while they aim to spend six weeks on trial next year.
It is alleged that the group ran a syndicate in which worked with miners to steal gold-bearing material from different mines in Carletonville and Khutsong on the West Rand. They allegedly processed material and later sold it on in the black market at a price based on the Stock Exchange.
The Asset Forfeiture Unit has attached 51 vehicles, seven houses and 16 bank accounts belonging to illegal mining kingpins.
Early this year, Sowetan revealed how the group lived a lavish lifestyle and that Bathebeng flexed about her assets on social media.
She bragged about her large house in Khutsong Extension 4 which stands out like a castle among the four-roomed RDP houses that surround it.
The state has enlisted 35 witnesses, including car dealership employees, department of home affairs workers and minerals regulators.
SowetanLIVE
Illegal gold syndicate set to stand six-week trial
Other charges of money laundering, fraud, racketeering and violating the Immigration Act
Image: ANTONIO MUCHAVE
A trial of the members of the alleged illicit gold-trading syndicate which operated from Carletonville will begin in February.
The accused appeared at the Pretoria high court on Wednesday for a pre-trial conference and the matter was postponed to February 2025 for trial.
Bethuel Ngobeni, also known as Zingai Dhliwayo, appeared with eight other co-accused – Nhlanhla Magwaca (real name James Sigauke), Zimbabweans Dumisa Moyo and Kudzai Mashaya and SA brothers Thabo and Moseki Sechele while others are Ngobeni’s lover Lerato Bathabeng, Poppy Mathongwane and Neo Duba. They are facing charges of trading in illicit gold, money laundering, fraud, racketeering and violating the Immigration Act, among others.
Both the state and the defence agreed that in November they will meet in court to finalise the logistics of the trial while they aim to spend six weeks on trial next year.
It is alleged that the group ran a syndicate in which worked with miners to steal gold-bearing material from different mines in Carletonville and Khutsong on the West Rand. They allegedly processed material and later sold it on in the black market at a price based on the Stock Exchange.
The Asset Forfeiture Unit has attached 51 vehicles, seven houses and 16 bank accounts belonging to illegal mining kingpins.
Early this year, Sowetan revealed how the group lived a lavish lifestyle and that Bathebeng flexed about her assets on social media.
She bragged about her large house in Khutsong Extension 4 which stands out like a castle among the four-roomed RDP houses that surround it.
The state has enlisted 35 witnesses, including car dealership employees, department of home affairs workers and minerals regulators.
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