Both Johnson and the lawyer who represented him when the case started, Joao Salbany were not present in court during mention on Thursday. The suspect has been charged with Norman Maja, Aaron Babolele, Lebogang Kaisara, David Tumagole, Patrick Cole, Clement Molefe, Otsile Mosarwe, Jenamo Nfana and Bushi Nthibo with the theft of P17 million from CMS through three fraudulent transactions. They are all facing three charges of obtaining by false pretences.
The prosecutor, Priscilla Israel, applied for a warrant of arrest against Johnson after he violated one of his bail conditions by not appearing for mention. Moroka has reserved a ruling in an application by one of the suspects - Nfana - who wants his BMW car back. The car has been impounded by the police and the prosecution contends that it is going to be used as an exhibit in the case. The investigating officer, Ikanyeng Thebe, who took the witness box on Thursday said that when he interviewed one of the suspects, Kgomotso Seloka, who has been slapped with a three-year-jail term for his role in the crime, he was told that Nfana was paid R75,000 and R32,000 at end of March this year. Thebe said that although Mfana claimed to have purchased the car from money he received through his company, he had failed to produce convincing evidence on this. Thebe said that the state believes that the car was purchased with money from proceeds of crime. Meanwhile, Moroka has set August 19 to hear a bail application by lawyers Tebogo Sebego and Dick Bayford who are both representing Cole and Molefe respectively. The two suspects have been in custody since their arrest. They have been denied bail because they might interfere with investigations. Sebego and Bayford have made an application for the DPP to be held in contempt of a court order issued by Moroka on July 18. Moroka had directed the state to furnish the defence with all witness statements and all documents that the state intends to use as evidence in the case. However, Sebego and Bayford maintain that the order has not been honoured.
