ALMOST 10 years after a dodgy R15.6-million deal went through the provincial agricultural department, fraud accused and former politician Max Mamase is likely to skip his trial after a state medical panel found that he is mentally incapacitated and cannot follow court proceedings.
A three-panel team comprising two psychiatrists and a psychologist at Grahamstown’s Fort England Hospital found that Mamase is mentally ill or defective and incapable of standing trial for fraud.
But Mamase’s attorney Dudley van Heerden said this week that he would argue for Mamase to be treated as an outpatient at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital. Mamase was referred to Fort England for mental observation after the defence submitted a private psychologist’s assessment which found that the 62-year-old Mamase was not mentally competent or fit to stand trial.
Psychologist Ian Meyer said Mamase had suffered dementia as a result of multiple strokes in November and December 2012.
The Fort England panel agreed with Meyer’s assessment. Mamase’s case will be dealt with on November 21, when a Zwelitsha regional court magistrate will be asked to make a finding on whether he committed the act as alleged by the state.
If the court finds that he did commit the offence, the magistrate will be requested to admit Mamase to a hospital on an involuntary basis and for him to be detained there.
Co-accused and ex-wife Neo Moerane’s case will be dealt with on January 30.
The state is awaiting representations from her legal representative before deciding whether it will continue to prosecute her.
Charges are also still pending against a company, Quickvest 54, which is represented by Moerane.
Mamase is on trial for allegedly accepting R360000 as a kickback for signing off on an agricultural land empowerment deal near Addo in the Sunday’s River Valley while he was MEC for agriculture.
He also faces a count each of contravention of the Public Finance Management Act for binding the agriculture department to pay R15.6-million for the land when he was not authorised to do so, and fraud.
Together with Moerane, the former Eastern Cape MEC for social development, he also faces a charge of money laundering, alternatively fraud.
Eastern Cape agriculture officials reportedly had major misgivings about the deal Mamase allegedly pushed to establish Kangela as a citrus farming empowerment development on 12 farms owned by now deceased Cape Town businessman Norman Benjamin in 2005. In return, the state alleges Benjamin helped him and Moerane to buy a house in Nahoon, East London. — rayh@dispatch.co.za
Mamase 'too ill' to go on trial
A three-panel team comprising two psychiatrists and a psychologist at Grahamstown’s Fort England Hospital found that Mamase is mentally ill or defective and incapable of standing trial for fraud.
But Mamase’s attorney Dudley van Heerden said this week that he would argue for Mamase to be treated as an outpatient at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital. Mamase was referred to Fort England for mental observation after the defence submitted a private psychologist’s assessment which found that the 62-year-old Mamase was not mentally competent or fit to stand trial.
Psychologist Ian Meyer said Mamase had suffered dementia as a result of multiple strokes in November and December 2012.
The Fort England panel agreed with Meyer’s assessment. Mamase’s case will be dealt with on November 21, when a Zwelitsha regional court magistrate will be asked to make a finding on whether he committed the act as alleged by the state.
If the court finds that he did commit the offence, the magistrate will be requested to admit Mamase to a hospital on an involuntary basis and for him to be detained there.
Co-accused and ex-wife Neo Moerane’s case will be dealt with on January 30.
The state is awaiting representations from her legal representative before deciding whether it will continue to prosecute her.
Charges are also still pending against a company, Quickvest 54, which is represented by Moerane.
Mamase is on trial for allegedly accepting R360000 as a kickback for signing off on an agricultural land empowerment deal near Addo in the Sunday’s River Valley while he was MEC for agriculture.
He also faces a count each of contravention of the Public Finance Management Act for binding the agriculture department to pay R15.6-million for the land when he was not authorised to do so, and fraud.
Together with Moerane, the former Eastern Cape MEC for social development, he also faces a charge of money laundering, alternatively fraud.
Eastern Cape agriculture officials reportedly had major misgivings about the deal Mamase allegedly pushed to establish Kangela as a citrus farming empowerment development on 12 farms owned by now deceased Cape Town businessman Norman Benjamin in 2005. In return, the state alleges Benjamin helped him and Moerane to buy a house in Nahoon, East London. — rayh@dispatch.co.za
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