The former Premier Soccer League (PSL) and FIFA referee has been given bail of $2 700 and his wife's bail was set at $1 600. The couple are facing three counts of fraud and money laundering.

The couple handed themselves over to the authorities after they were issued with warrants of arrest for the crimes which allegedly occurred back in 2012. According to the police’s priority crimes unity, the Hawks, the couple allegedly received about $711 000 from state-owned company, PetroSA to build a school and to renovate a daycare centre in the Eastern Cape Province. It is alleged that they falsified documents and forged signatures. Hawks Spokesperson in the Western Cape, Siyabulela Vukubi said the investigation stems from the funding.

“This stems allegedly from when they acquired funds from PetroSA to the total amount R13 000 000 ($711 000), where they claimed that the school, Gangatha Junior Secondary School needed funds for the infrastructure. Then PetroSA deposited money into their bank accounts, of which the money was not used for what it was supposed to do. It was therefore diverted to other bank accounts associated with accused one, which is Andile Ace Ngcobo,” Vukubi said.

NPA Spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said PetroSA discovered the alleged crime.     

“What PetroSA used to do, when the project is finalised they would send their own people to make sure that the money they donated yielded positive results. There were allegations that came up during the construction of fraud. And as a results they sent two quantity surveyors. The quantity surveyors came back and showed that the work that was done was shoddy and also the cost was about R5 million ($273 000) which led to fraud,” Ntabazalila.

The Ngcobo couple arrived from Gauteng for their court appearance in Cape Town because that's where the PetroSA offices are. Arguing for their bail, their lawyers told the court that they have 20 children who are dependant on them. They also told the court that the Ngcobo's do not intend to relocate to another country. Ntabazalila said the state would soon be approaches the courts over the decision to grant the couple bail.

“We are not happy with the decision of the magistrate because when he made his ruling he said the state does not have anything to say, of which that is not what we said. We would have expected the magistrate to reject that application he made and call the IO (Investigating Officer) to take the stand and then allow us an opportunity to oppose the bail using the IO but that did not happen,” Ntabazalila.

The case has been postponed to the May 29 for further investigation.

---SABC---