By Sharika Regchand<\/p>\n
AN INVESTIGATOR in the fraud case of businessman Jabulani Mabaso was given a tongue-lashing by a Pietermaritzburg High Court judge yesterday for failing to ensure the presence of two witnesses in court.<\/p>\n
Mabaso\u2019s company, Indiza Infrastructure Solutions, had an agreement with the provincial Education Department to supply stationery to schools, and allegedly defrauded it between 2005 and 2007 by producing fake invoices, not passing on discounts, and increasing the price of stationery.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, Colonel Colin Naidoo was interrogated by Acting Judge Kobus Booyens on why the investigating officer in the case, Alan Nixon, and former department employee Themba Ndlovu were absent despite having been subpoenaed.<\/p>\n
Naidoo said Nixon was on holiday and could not cancel his trip, which had been paid for, and Ndlovu had been given the subpoena only on Friday.<\/p>\n
The judge replied: \u201cI get the impression that the courts are treated with absolute contempt recently.\u201d Naidoo said it was not his intention to frustrate the court in any way.<\/p>\n
Previously, Mabaso\u2019s advocate, Willie Vermeulen SC, applied for a discharge, and the State conceded this only on 12 charges relating to him putting a mark-up on the stationery.<\/p>\n
All along the State maintained that Mabaso was meant to charge the costs seen on supplier invoices in return for a management fee.<\/p>\n
Mabaso denied this from the outset, saying he was entitled to make a profit.<\/p>\n
The case was adjourned until today for the witnesses to testify.<\/p>\n