The Special Investigating Unit (SIU), together with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), has obtained an order to freeze an agricultural holding and farm worth some R53 million.

In a joint statement, the law enforcement agencies said the property was allegedly fraudulently transferred to individuals and entities.

“The order follows an investigation by the SIU, which revealed that individuals and private entities jointly and severally, and with a common purpose, defrauded the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) and the respective Deeds Registries in Vryburg, Johannesburg and Pretoria, by fraudulently transferring government property to individuals and private entities for their personal benefit.

“Armed with the outcomes of its investigation, the SIU shared the evidence with the AFU, which approached the High Court for a preservation order to preserve government land that was unlawfully transferred.

“The SIU was, in terms of Proclamation R 7 of 2014, as amended by Proclamation R 599 of 2015 and Proclamation R 32 of 2017, authorised by the President of South Africa to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration relating to the transfer of government land to individuals and private entities,” the statement read.

The entities and individuals implicated in the order are:

• B and B media
• Nicolas Martinaas Roets
• Christopher Peterson
• RCI Development
• Segwapa Inc

The statement explained that the evidence gathered suggests that the allegedly fraudulent activity took place during the 14-year period between 2008 and 2022.

“In line with the SIU Act, the SIU referred evidence pointing to criminal conduct to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further action. The referral had resulted in a criminal case being registered with the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks).

“This preservation order is part of the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption strategy by law enforcement agencies to strengthen its fight against corruption,” the statement read.

In September last year, a similar order was granted with a value of some R144 million – bringing the total value of frozen assets to nearly R200 million.