An arrest warrant has been issued for expelled ANC Youth League
leader Julius Malema and he is due to appear in a 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 Polokwane."
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
