arrest – Page 2 – praag.org

Malema will appear in Pietersburg court

An arrest warrant has been issued for expelled ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema and he is due to appear in a Pietersburg (ANC name: Polokwane) court next week.

“We were notified today that a warrant of arrest was issued for Mr Malema,” Malema’s lawyer Nicqui Galaktiou told Sapa.

“We don’t know which court and when it will happen, but we are engaging with authorities on that. It will be in Pietersburg.”

She said Malema had not yet been arrested.

“No, he hasn’t. My understanding is that he won’t be arrested.”

She said the charges against her client were unknown.

“We do not know what the charges are and we don’t have a copy of the warrant.”

The City Press reported earlier that Malema faced charges of money laundering, corruption and fraud relating to his Ratanang Family Trust and its share holding in On-Point Engineering, a company that allegedly made millions from Limpopo government tenders.

Earlier, authorities refused to comment or confirm the warrant.

The SA Revenue Service said it had nothing to do with the warrant.

“…We want to state categorically that any and all reports that SARS requested that a warrant be issued for Mr Malema’s arrest are completely untrue and without foundation,” it said in a statement.

“SARS is not involved in the criminal investigation into and prosecution of this matter.”

The Hawks said it did not issue warrants.

“The Hawks don’t issue warrants, so we don’t comment on that,” said Hawks spokesman McIntosh Polela.

Asked if the unit was planning to arrest Malema, he said: “Even if we were planning to arrest him, we won’t tell you.”

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa’s spokesman, Zweli Mnisi, referred queries to provincial police.

Gauteng police spokesman, Brigadier Neville Malila, said he knew nothing about an arrest warrant for Malema.

Justice department spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga could not immediately be reached for comment.

Malema’s close colleague, suspended ANC Youth League spokesman Floyd Shivambu could not be reached for comment.

On Tuesday, Malema told reporters in Johannesburg if he was arrested, it would be done illegally.

“If we are illegally arrested tomorrow, we would have been arrested by [President] Jacob Zuma,” Malema said at the time.

He said he was willing and ready to go to jail, and was not intimidated.

“I have nothing to hide… I only have my convictions. Nothing will stop me from fighting for economic freedom, not even my death… We are unshaken.”

Malema said he had it “on good authority” that there were instructions “to get rid of some us…”

At the time, presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said: “The presidency is aware that this person is prone to making wildly unsubstantiated and unwarranted claims and statements, and we do not wish to dignify them.” – Sapa

Hawks tight-lipped on Malema arrest

The Hawks would not confirm a news report on Friday that a warrant had been issued for the arrest of expelled ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema.

“The Hawks don’t issue warrants, so we don’t comment on that,” said spokesman McIntosh Polela.

Asked if the unit was planning to arrest Malema, he said: “Even if we were planning to arrest him, we won’t tell you.”

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa’s spokesman, Zweli Mnisi, referred queries to provincial police.

Gauteng police spokesman, Brigadier Neville Malila, said he knew nothing about an arrest warrant for Malema.

The City Press reported that the warrant was issued on Friday morning.

Malema was due to appear in a Pretoria or Polokwane court next week on charges of money laundering, corruption and fraud, it said.

The matter related to his Ratanang Family Trust and its shareholding in On-Point Engineering, a company that had allegedly made millions from Limpopo government tenders.

The publication said it was unclear whether Malema would be jailed before appearing in court. – Sapa

Julius Malema’s supporters threaten anarchy if he is arrested

With a warrant out for Julius Malema’s arrest, it seems that both President Zuma and Helen Zille were right on cue in deploying the army. After Malema’s imminent arrest was leaked to City Prees, the South African National Defence Force may be necessary to keep the peace upon Malema’s supporters getting unruly.

The Friends of Malema and the ANCYL leadership suspended earlier this year, as well as current leaders of the League’s National Executive Committe have warned that the country’s youth would rebel and engage in mass action if the suspended former League President had to be arrested.

These warnings were issued in a week during which Malema spoke openly about alleged threats to have him killed or arrested.

Malema’s closest ally, Floyd Shivambu, the League’s former spokesman who had also been suspended, told the Mail & Guardian newspaper this week that both Malema and the Youth League’s secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa no longer slept at home because they feared being attacked.

Shivamabu said that State Security sources had told him that there was a plan to neutralise them, concocted at the highest levels of government and that options had been narrowed down to “arrest or kill”. But he did add that Malema had no fear of arrest as he knew that he had committed no crime.

Two members of the Youth League’s National Executive Committee told the M&G anonymously that the youth will go on the rampage if the state had to “abuse” resources to arrest Julius Malema.

“On what basis would he be arrested? What has he done wrong with tenders in Limpopo? When there are limitations in society you can’t stop people from addressing any section of society,” said one of the members.

“Julius has lots of support from youth who don’t rely on patronage from the ANC. They are not MECs, mayor or ministers. The youth are angry and they will go out in numbers. Young people will lead the mass action and they have lots of energy. And young people will not be peaceful …

“We know that the security cluster has allocated five people to follow him wherever he goes and this surveillance has not even been approved by a judge,” one of the members said.

The President of the Congress of the People, COPE’s youth movement, Ncaba Bhanga, promised that the organisation would defend Malema if hy had to be arrested.

“This is not about Malema,” said Bhanga. “It is about the ruling party using state resources to suppress dissenting views [in the build-up to] its Mangaung conference. Malema has done nothing wrong.”

A warrant of arrest for Julius Malema was issued this morning, City Press reported. He is expected to appear in court next week.

Eyewitness News reported earlier in the week that Malema might be arrested after conclusion of the Hawks’ investigation of him. He was being investigated for alleged corruption.