Johannesburg - Former National Youth Development Agency head Andile Lungisa and three others appeared in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Monday on charges of fraud and money laundering.
Lungisa, his wife Ursula Sali, Thabo Shogolo, and Xolisile Guquza would be back in court on July 8, after the matter was postponed due to defence lawyer Thabo Kwinana not being present.
Prosecutor Ronel Dookun and Lungisa, along with his co-accused, were mystified as to Kwinana's absence, as neither could reach him on Monday morning.
“The State is in the dark as to how to proceed with this matter further,” Dookun said.
“The State has no reason as to his (Kwinana's) absence today.”
On their last appearance on April 17, which also led to a postponement, Kwinana said he had only the charge sheet and needed further particulars to answer to the case with clarity.
On Monday, Dookun told the court Kwinana had not contacted the State at all in relation to this request since April 17.
The four are accused of accepting and sharing among themselves R2.5 million paid by the arts and culture department for the Nelson Mandela Sports Day concert.
They allegedly promised that US singer R Kelly would perform at the concert but he did not.
Previously, Lungisa and Shogolo were granted bail of R10 000 each, Guquza was granted R5000 bail, and Sali was released on a warning.
They were arrested in October after handing themselves over to the Hawks.
Sapa