Sizani fraud case postponed due to undisclosed medical condition

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

The fraud and money laundering case against the wife of ANC chief whip Stone Sizani, has been postponed in the Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes court.

The court heard on Monday that Nontuthuzelo Portia Sizani could not attend court proceeding because of a "medical condition" which could not be disclosed to the public or the state.

Defence advocate Johan Wessels told the court that he could not complete his final consultation with Sizani at the end of last month because of what had "transpired."

He said the meeting to prepare for today's trial was put on hold so that she could get medical advice.

Wessels added that he was not in a position to proceed with the matter and asked the court to "uphold her privacy and dignity" by not revealing her medical status.

He presented a medical certificate to magistrate Louis Claasen who postponed the matter to August 20.

State Prosecutor Ronelle Brink stated that she was in no position to address the court as she did not know whether to object or not.

Brink added that if it was a "mental illness" that there were "other routes."

Sizani was arrested in December 2012 for allegedly defrauding the Eastern Cape Education Department of more than R1.2 million.

The charges relate to the false appointment of several people as Grade R practioners at various schools in Nelson Mandela Bay from 2009.

Sizani's niece was one of those who was appointed to a school in Motherwell.