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“We were shocked by these developments as the warrant was timely executed to coincide with a long weekend,” the ANCYL said in a statement yesterday.
“This, in our view, was meant to ensure that he spends the whole weekend in jail.”
It also condemned leaks to the media regarding the arrest and a report prepared by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.
“Such lack of restraint and conniving was meant to feed further into the court of public opinion that is in session in the media,” it said.
South Africa’s legal system upheld the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
However, what had recently happened was not in line with this principle.
“The fact that even some ministers intimated knowledge of the charges points to political interference in the administration of justice and it must be condemned,” the ANCYL said.
State institutions should not be used to settle political scores.
The ANCYL trusted that the criminal justice system would carry out its work with integrity and credibility.
It had to be freed from political interference.
“All South Africans are called upon to defend the Constitution and the principle as contained in the Constitution that every individual is innocent until proven guilty.”
Malema’s lawyer said on Sunday a date and venue for his court appearance had not been confirmed.
“We have not received confirmation from authorities on a date or venue,” said Malema’s lawyer Nicqui Galaktiou.
City Press reported that Malema was to appear in the Polokwane Regional Court today on fraud and money laundering charges.
The Sunday Times said he would appear with five other people and four companies.
However, Galaktiou said that “even though the media has been publishing all this information”, his camp did not even know what charges Malema might face.
“We do not have charges,” she said.
An arrest warrant was issued for Malema on Friday.
City Press reported that Malema faced charges of money laundering, corruption and fraud relating to his Ratanang Family Trust and its shareholding in On-Point Engineering, a company which allegedly made millions from Limpopo government tenders.
On Sunday, National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Bulelwa Makeke refused to comment on a possible court appearance.
“Until he appears in court, then we can talk about it,” she said.
Also on Sunday, City Press reported that Public Protector Thuli Madonsela had found that Malema made his millions from a fraudulent tender.
Although Madonsela could not find evidence that Malema interfered in the tender process, she found that his Ratanang Family Trust benefited “improperly”, the newspaper reported.
This was according to a copy of Madonsela’s provisional report into the R52m tender won by On-Point Engineers from the Limpopo roads and transport department.
Malema’s family trust was one of the two shareholders in On-Point.
The newspaper also reported, in another article, that the SA Revenue Service (Sars) had obtained a R16m judgment against Malema for unpaid taxes.
Sars spokesperson Adrian Lackay confirmed that the judgment was obtained in the North Gauteng High Court on 11 September.
He told the newspaper the amount included unpaid taxes, penalties and interest.
Meanwhile, four Polokwane businessmen handed themselves over to the anti-corruption task team yesterday, the Hawks confirmed.
“They are going to appear in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court today on charges of fraud, corruption and money-laundering,” said spokesperson McIntosh Polela.
“This relates to government money running into tens of millions of rands.”
Polela said the anti-corruption task team consisted of the Hawks, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the Special Investigating Unit, the Treasury and the SA Revenue Services.
“This forms part of an investigation that has been running since August last year,” he said.
Polela said the four men would appear and three companies.
Earlier, it was reported that expelled ANC Youth League president Malema’s business partner Lesiba Gwangwa would appear in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Gwangwa, who is chief executive of On-Point Engineers, would appear on accusations of tender fraud with other Limpopo businessmen and government officials.
Polela said he could not give out the names of the men or the companies until they appeared in court.
Yesterday, the police cordoned off streets surrounding the courthouse where Malema will be tried.
The accused were to hand themselves over to the police before their court appearance.
Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said the police were implementing their security plan the day before Malema’s appearance.
He said they wanted to be prepared for a planned night vigil for Malema, and ensure people were safe. — Sapa
Online Reporter