Publication: Sapa Issued: Pretoria Date: 2005-11-11 Reporter: Mariette le Roux

Yengeni Loses Appeal

 

Publication 

Sapa
BC-COURT-2ND-LD-YENGENI

Date

2005-11-11

Issued

Pretoria

Reporter

 Mariette le Roux

 

Former African National Congress chief whip Tony Yengeni lost his appeal against a fraud conviction and four year jail sentence in the Pretoria High Court on Friday.

The court found Yengeni had been correctly convicted of defrauding parliament by failing to disclose a 50 percent discount he received on a 4x4 Mercedes Benz.

He had intentionally lied for more than two years, the judges said.

They dismissed as a fabrication the politician's contention that he had been promised a fine not exceeding R5 000 by former prosecution head Bulelani Ngcuka if he pleaded guilty.

Yengeni's lawyer, Marius du Toit, said they would probably challenge the judgment in the Supreme Court of Appeal but the options still had to be discussed.

"We are disappointed but it is not the end of the road yet," he said outside the court.

With acknowledgements to Mariette le Roux and Sapa.


*1  The most expensive 50 percent discount on a 4x4 by far.