230616 w Burger Nuus The middleman in the stolen firearms-case will be arrested between 17:00 and 18:00 this evening. The police will first go to his home at 4 Herold street, Rondebosch Foto:Lulama zenzile 230616 w Burger Nuus The middleman in the stolen firearms-case will be arrested between 17:00 and 18:00 this evening. The police will first go to his home at 4 Herold street, Rondebosch Foto:Lulama zenzile
Cape Town - Efforts by Cape businessman Irshaad Laher to try to get back his assets, which are currently under restraint, came to nought in the Western Cape High Court.
The court refused his application for leave to appeal the confirmation of the restraint order which allowed the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) to attach his assets, including his Rondebosch home, vehicles, and interests in two Spur franchises and a Nando’s outlet.
However, Laher is not giving up without a fight and is preparing to petition the Supreme Court of Appeal for leave to take the matter further.
Laher currently faces criminal charges, which stem from allegations that Vereeniging police colonel Christiaan Prinsloo supplied him with 2 000 firearms between 2008 and 2014.The guns were allegedly sold to gangsters.
Laher, denies any involvement in illegal gun dealing.
The AFU pounced while the criminal case was still pending and obtained a provisional restraint order to attach assets to the value of R9 million - the amount Laher allegedly benefited from the conduct of which he stands accused.
Although his shares in the restaurants had already been transferred to third parties, the AFU’s Leonardo Goosen pointed out that, in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, a defendant “shall be deemed to have made a gift if he or she transferred any property to another person directly or indirectly”.
The case later returned for the confirmation of the restraint order - an application which Laher had opposed. He claimed the State did not back up allegations with evidence.
He said Prinsloo was “an acquaintance” and that they had met in Vereeniging where Laher was a police reservist at the time.
The two remained in contact after he moved to Cape Town and had a mutual interest in firearms.
However, he denied ever receiving an illegal weapon from Prinsloo and said the evidence Prinsloo supplied should be treated with caution.
However, in August Judge Elizabeth Baartman confirmed the restraint order.
A week ago, Laher returned to the High Court to ask for leave to appeal her judgment.
However, Judge Baartman dismissed the application, saying she did not believe that another court would come to a different conclusion.
Weekend Argus
