After 10-year probe, State ready to proceed with criminal case against Panday

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Durban businessman Thoshan Panday and his three co-accused are alleged to have manipulated police-related tenders during the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup and committed fraud worth R47 million against the police.

Controversial Durban businessman Thoshan Panday (L) and Colonel Navin Madhoe (R) appearing in the Durban Magistrates Court on 2 October 2020 on various charges including fraud and corruption. Picture: Nkosikhona Duma/EWN

DURBAN – The State said that it was ready to proceed with its criminal case against controversial Durban businessman Thoshan Panday and his three co-accused after a ten-year investigation.

Panday appeared in the Durban Magistrates Court on Friday together with co-accused Colonel Navin Madhoe, who is still employed as a police member.

While the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) sought to have arrest warrants issued against all four suspects, it emerged that one of the accused was on holiday in Cape Town while another was still at large.

The suspects face various charges, including fraud, corruption and extortion.

The four accused are alleged to have manipulated police-related tenders during the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup and committed fraud worth R47 million against the police.

The NPA’s Advocate Talita Louw told the Durban Magistrates Court that Madhoe and Panday also attempted to bribe a senior Hawks official at the time.

“Subsequently there was an account of bribery and extortion for both of them with regards to General Booysen.”

Panday faces additional charges of defeating the ends of justice after he allegedly tried to stop investigations by bribing officials.

Panday has been released on R100,000 bail while Madhoe has been given R10,000 bail.

The matter has been postponed to November to prepare for a pre-trial conference.

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