Louis Liebenberg at the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday.
Gallo Images/Darren Stewart
A Hawks investigation into Louis Liebenberg, who came to corruption-accused Jacob Zuma’s aid by putting up R500 000 for a deposit in the former president’s private prosecution matter, was already at an “advanced stage” in June, according to Police Minister Bheki Cele.
In March 2021, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) secured the provisional preservation order against banks accounts in the name of diamond dealer Liebenberg, his colleague Ronelle Kleynhans and his company Tariomix, leading to R100 million being provisionally frozen by order of the North Gauteng High Court, News24 Business reported.
This followed allegations of money laundering and running a Ponzi scheme, which Liebenberg had previously denied. The order was granted in terms of Section 39 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, which allows a High Court to freeze assets if “reasonable grounds” exist to believe that the proceeds may result from unlawful activities.
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