Cape Town — Former Steinhoff legal head, Stephan Grobler, was granted R150 000 bail after appearing in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday.
Grobler was arrested on charges of fraud, a pattern of racketeering activities and contravention of Financial Markets Act against Steinhoff International Holdings and was set to appear in court alongside former Steinhoff CEO, Markus Jooste, who died this past week after shooting himself in the head, IOL reported.
““He appeared in court on Friday and the case was postponed to Monday for bail judgment where he was granted R150 000 bail with conditions. Grobler will appear again in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on June 26,”Hawks spkesperson, Colonel Katlego Mogale, said.
The NPA said he must now report to the Brooklyn police station every Monday and Friday and must hand over his two passports, two guns and may not leave the province without informing his investigative officer.
ALSO READ | Jooste death won’t affect Steinhoff investigation – FSCA
Western Cape police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie confirmed that an inquest docket was under investigation.
Accordin to The Citizen, Grobler told the court in an affidavit that he would plead not guilty to the charges and intended to prove his innocence. He asked the court to release him on bail but it was opposed becuse he committed a serious offence, which carries a penalty clause of R1 billion or a life sentence.
The prosecutor also told the court that Grobler is a flight risk because he is a citizen of the world with business connections all over the globe.
An earlier statement from the Hawks and the NPA said Jooste and Grobler were lead usspects int he Steinhoff matter. The defence teams of Jooste and Grobler were only told about the arrest warrants after the exit routes were secured to ensure that they did not flee the country.
They had to hand themselves over at Pretoria Central Police Station and thereafter appear in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Friday.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
