Cape Town - A trial date has finally been set for the R2.5 million tender fraud case involving slain City staffer, Alistair Stanbull and construction bosses, at the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.
Months after the death of Stanbull, it has been determined that his co-accused will stand trial in June next year.
Stanbull was employed in the City’s Human Settlements Department, and disappeared on April 29 while hiking.
But weeks before he was set to return to court, his decomposed body was found at the Silvermine Nature Reserve in June. He was implicated in the R2.5m fraud scandal and was arrested along with another colleague in November 2022 and later released on R10000 bail.
At the time, the State alleged the employees of the construction company, including the directors, supplied false invoices to the City and allegedly misrepresented some of the work they charged for as being finalised.
Stanbull allegedly allowed the invoices to be authorised even though they knew the work was incomplete.
He was reported missing and search teams from the City searched the mountain slopes for several days with no results.
Police spokesperson, Joseph Swartbooi, confirmed in June that Kirstenhof police had responded to a complaint about the body discovered at the nature reserve.
During court proceedings on Wednesday, Asif Khan, Abdul Khan, Uwais Khan, Irfaan Khan and Abdullahtief Abrahams from Ilitha Painters and Decorators appeared alongside Stanbull’s colleague, Adam Majiet, on charges of fraud, attempted forgery and unlawfully interfering with the City’s Supply Chain Management Policy. The group were informed their trial will officially start on June 24.
Meanwhile, police have not yet indicated if they are probing a murder case after Stanbull’s death.