Gupta-linked Nulane accused freed

BLOEMFONTEIN - The Free State High Court has discharged all the accused in the Nulane Investments case.

Gupta associate Iqbal Sharma, Tonuca Ragavan, Dinesh Patel and former senior Free State officials are now free.

READ: SA's corruption emergency | Nulane fraud trial enters penultimate week

They were charged with fraud and money laundering related to the R24.9-million contract that Nulane Investments had with the Free State Agriculture Department.

Acting judge Nompumelelo Gusha said, "the state alleged the accused acted, in concert, misrepresenting to the Agriculture and Rural Development that the World's Window impact letter was received in the normal course of business."

"By own version, this cannot stand. Not only did they not present evidence to prove collusion, save for introducing the letter into evidence, the state, did not take the trouble to investigate the origins of same."

"This could have easily been ascertained. Taking into account that a little more than R24-million of tax payers money was at stake, the lackadaisical manner in which this matter was investigated is to be lamented."

"To find that common purpose under these circumstances existed would be a quantum leap."

"What stands to be lamented even more is that the very witness the state depended on to prove count one and two, came to the stand and lied."