Former crime intelligence police colonel, Vassan Soobramoney, was granted R5,000 bail in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on corruption charges.
The charges were brought against him by Gert Viljoen, CEO of Umuthi Healthcare Solutions.
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Soobramoney is accused of allegedly accepting a R20,000 bribe from another suspect in the same case, Anthony Morris, as part of a scheme to extort shares in Umuthi under threat of sabotaging the company’s listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
He appeared in court on August 29. The case was postponed to October 11, for further investigation in the same court.
Soobramoney told the court that the R20,000 paid into his account by Morris was a loan repayment from a personal friend and nothing more, and he intended to prove this at trial.
As part of this bail conditions, he has to surrender his passport, avoid any direct or indirect contact with witnesses and the complainant (Viljoen) and report to Benoni Police Station twice a week.
He told the court that he had spent more than 37 years in the police force and has worked his way up to positions of trust. By the time he retired he held top secret clearance.
It is alleged that Soobramoney was medically boarded due to a heart condition and other related health conditions.
A second arrest warrant has also been issued for Anthony Morris, who remains a fugitive from justice, having fled South Africa for Zambia in 2022 to avoid arrest.
Extradition proceedings have been launched to return Morris to South Africa to face corruption charges related to the sabotage of the Umuthi Healthcare listing on the London Stock Exchange in 2021.
The criminal complaint alleges that Soobramoney accompanied Morris to a meeting with Viljoen on March 2, 2020, at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg.
Soobramoney claimed to be investigating a case of fraud relating to the unlawful sale of shares in Umuthi Healthcare prior to the company’s listing on the LSE from consultants at the time Connie van Nieuwkerk and Tony McKeever.
Soobramoney and Morris allegedly pressured Viljoen to release share certificates valued at R10 million to Morris and others whilst the investigation was ongoing in order for the listing to continue as it was in its final stages.
There was allegedly also a threat to launch a negative media campaign against Umuthi to derail the planned listing on the LSE.
Viljoen confirmed that he made a decision at the time to comply with the order from the officer and avoid negative publicity as a threat that may cause damage to existing shareholders.
Viljoen, legally issued shares to the value of R10 million to Morris and his cohorts whilst the so-called investigation from Soobramoney’s intelligence office was being conducted.
The State claims that on March 19, 2021, at around 3.09pm Soobramoney received R20,000 from Morris as a reward for facilitating the transfer of the shares.
This transaction of R20,000 was confirmed through a Section 205 subpoena. When approached to provide a warning statement, Soobramoney refused, leading to the issuance and execution of a warrant for his arrest for extortion and corruption charges.
Soobramoney told the court that his refusal to issue a warning statement was nothing more than exercising his right to remain silent.
Subsequent investigations from the company revealed that Connie van Nieuwkerk and Morris had fraudulently sold and traded shares in Umuthi prior to listing without ever transferring the funds to the company.
It is confirmed that Soobramoney had full knowledge of these facts and still proceeded to assist Morris to open a false case against Viljoen leading to his arrest and shortly after withdrawal of the charges by the State. This also led to the eventual delisting of Umuthi.
Morris formed an activist group called Umuthi Action Group which amplified false claims of people committing suicide due to the losses suffered after supposedly investing in Umuthi. They claimed to have invested in the company but had not received shares.
A forensic audit later revealed that 99% of the members of Umuthi Action Group and specifically Morris had not invested in the company or its subsidiaries. It is alleged that Morris had his target on the FCA to claim an insurance payout and promised his group over 100 million GBP for “negligence” from Umuthi and the FCA by allowing the listing to continue.
The false claims made by Morris and his group contributed to the suspension and delisting of Umuthi on the LSE. This now forms the basis of a R340 million damages claim against the State, Soobramoney and Morris.
Fraud and corruption charges have been opened against Barbara Pollard and Mariette Linde who shared funds from fraudulent sales with Connie van Nieuwkerk and continuously touted shares to the group formed by Morris even after Umuthi’s suspension.
“The arrest of Mr Soobramoney is the first of several likely arrests related to the sabotage of the Umuthi listing in London,” said Viljoen.
“We are now in the process of seeking the extradition of Morris to South Africa so that he can face charges of fraud and corruption. The wheels of justice may move slow, but at least they are now moving.”
Viljoen concluded that he views Morris to be nothing more than “A man of straw”.
-IOL
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