Overview
- Russell Patrick Paul, 64, appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court after handing himself to the Hawks and was released on R10,000 bail.
- Prosecutors charge Paul with fraud and conspiracy, alleging he approved payments to Grit Communications for personal services to Danny Jordaan without a contractual basis.
- Investigators allege the Grit service-level agreement was backdated to 1 October 2017 and that no valid agreement covered payments after it lapsed on 30 September 2018.
- Jordaan, CFO Gronnie Hluyo, Trevor Neethling and Grit Communications already face three counts of fraud and conspiracy over R1.3 million allegedly misused from 2014 to 2018, with each previously granted R20,000 bail.
- All accused are scheduled to appear together on 21 November in Palm Ridge as the defence contests the admissibility of evidence seized at SAFA House in March 2024.