Peet Viljoen to spend another two weeks behind bars
The bail application of former attorney Peet Viljoen has been postponed to 23 July for further hearing.
He appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday facing more than 400 charges, including fraud involving R27 million, corruption, theft, forgery, and uttering.
The charges relate to the alleged unlawful sale of municipal properties in 2010.
The court heard that Viljoen is also under investigation in connection with the alleged fraudulent sale of Tammy Taylor nail franchises.
An affidavit by the Investigating officer, indicated that despite Viljoen claiming in his bail affidavit that he has no other pending cases against him, he is being investigated alongside his wife, Mel Viljoen, over allegations that they were the masterminds behind a Tammy Taylor franchise scam.
According to the State, while the couple were in the United States, they allegedly made racist remarks about black people and mocked the South African judiciary, particularly black judges.
The court also heard that Viljoen allegedly threatened to sue the police officers and prosecutors involved in his case.
In addition, the State argued that Viljoen's claimed residential address in Brits has not yet been verified, despite his assertion in his bail affidavit that it had been confirmed.
The prosecution further alleged that Viljoen lied about his father suffering from prostate cancer.
This allegation emerged during court proceedings in the United States following Viljoen's arrest for alleged shoplifting.
Viljoen's lawyer Andre Steenkamp said his client was not a flight risk and that he is willing to handover his passport to the investigating officer.
Further said Viljoen has no previous convictions and asked the court to consider placing him on house arrest if granted bail.
He is being held at the Kgosi Mampuru correctional centre.
Viljoen said his continued detention will affect his business interests with his wife.
