Court Grants AFU and DPCI a Restraint Order on Mthombeni's Assets

COURT GRANTS AFU AND DPCI A RESTRAINT ORDER ON MTHOMBENI’S ASSETS

The High Court of South Africa; North West Division granted the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) and the Directorate For Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), known as the Hawks, a Restraint Order against Caswell Mthombeni (52) and his company, Caswell Mthombeni Consultants CC to restrain properties to the value of over R21 million. These include luxury properties in Mooikloof Heights Estate in Pretoria east, a filling station in Giyani, Limpopo province and 6 other immovable properties located in Limpopo, Gauteng and Mpumalanga province. The order also includes 25 motor vehicles which are mostly bakkies, Range Rover, and a Mercedes Benz GLE63. 

He made his first appearance in the Mahikeng Magistrates’ Court on 27 June 2023, facing charges of fraud, theft and money laundering. He was granted R50 000.00 bail and the court ordered him to surrender his passport, report to his nearest police station every Monday and Friday between 06h00 and 18h00 and not to interfere with the state’s witnesses. It is alleged that in October 2015, Mthombeni was appointed by the Department of Community Safety and Transport Management in the North West province to help the department achieve its road safety objectives, which included training unemployed matriculants and empowering accredited driving schools in various pilot areas. His mandate also included training and developing driving schools and learner drivers.

An amount of over R21 million was allegedly paid to his company for the commencement of the programme. Over forty driving schools allegedly signed contracts with the company, as beneficiaries of the programme. It is further alleged that these driving schools utilised their funds to participate in the programme, in anticipation that the company would compensate them. Mthombeni allegedly failed to honour his contractual agreement with the driving schools. As a result, the department incurred losses to the tune of over R21 million. He was arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation assisted by Priority Crime Specialised Investigation and Tactical Operations Management Section on Monday, 26 June 2023, in Pretoria. He is expected back in court on 27 March 2024. 

The Provincial Head for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Major General Patrick Mbotho and the Director for Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari commended the collaboration between AFU, DPCI and the NPA’s Specialised Commercial Crime Unit (SCCU) in obtaining a Restraint Order against the accused to recoup from the proceeds of crime. They have vowed to continue working together in clamping down corruption in the province.

Kind regards,

Henry Mamothame
NPA Regional Spokesperson
North West Division
082 317 5731

Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula
071 481 2798