Cape Town – The Oldenburg court in Germany is struggling to bring former Steinhoff International CEO, Markus Jooste, to trial abroad.
He faces criminal charges, including five counts of accounting fraud between 2011 and 2014, that were reportedly committed at various subsidiaries of the company, eNCA reported.
Although an arrest warrant has been issued for Jooste, the court has not yet approached South African authorities for assistance in his arrest and extradition to Germany, as there is no extradition treaty between the two countries, EWN reported on Wednesday.
His German lawyer claims that his client cannot leave South Africa due to his passport being flagged by South African authorities, but the Hawks denies this.
A German court issued an arrest warrant for Markus Jooste, former chief executive officer of scandal-ridden retailer Steinhoff International Holdings NV, after he failed to show up for trial in the country. pic.twitter.com/3ohLB7kMMW
— The Instigator (@Am_Blujay) June 21, 2023
The court spokesperson Judge Isabelle Möllers said that they are still figuring out how to execute the arrest warrant for Jooste, adding that he must be present in court to face the charges, the report said.
“To the best of our knowledge, there has been no communication with the South African authorities to enforce the arrest warrant,” the report quoted her as saying.
The trial of two other former Steinhoff managing directors has already begun in Germany, with both confessing to their crimes.
The Steinhoff trial in Germany is separate from the case being investigated in South Africa, where no charges have been filed.
Jooste is reportedly living in Hermanus and his assets have been attached by the Reserve Bank as part of their investigation into Steinhoff’s violation of foreign exchange controls.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
