DURBAN - THREE suspects charged with corruption for the alleged selling of medicine and health sciences places at the University of KwaZulu-Natal have had their request for the charges to be provisionally withdrawn shot down in court.
Little Gujarat owners, Varsha and Hiteshkumar Bhatt and former school teacher Preshni Hiramun, are accused of being the masterminds behind a syndicate that allegedly sold medicine and other health science places at the University of KwaZulu-Natal for up to R500 000.
#UKZNMedBust Suspects Varsha Bhatt, Preshni Hiramun and Hitesh Bhatt were granted R40 000 bail each at Pinetown Magistrates Court. Pictures: Gcina Ndwalane/ANA Pictures
Also Read: Syndicate sold places for R500 000
The three appeared at the Pinetown Magistrate's Court on Thursday before Magistrate Correl Language.
Defence advocate, Rajiv Sarjoo, requested the corruption charges be provisionally withdrawn until the state finalised its investigation. Sarjoo said the suspect’s lives were being put on hold while the state dragged its feet with its investigation.
Defence says state is dragging their feet with the investigation, putting the lives of the accused on hold. @SundayTribuneSA #UkznMedBust
— Nabeelah Shaikh (@Nabeelah_Shaikh) March 1, 2018
In August last year, the state had requested six months to investigate further.
Language shot down the request to provisionally withdraw the charges and remanded the case for November 1. The magistrate said this would be the final remand.
Also Read: #UKZNMedBust suspects will be allowed to travel to India
The state says its delay is due to the scale of the investigation and the analysing of electronic info. #UkznMedBust @SundayTribuneSA
— Nabeelah Shaikh (@Nabeelah_Shaikh) March 1, 2018
Magistrate opposes for charges to be provisionally withdrawn. A final remand has been granted. Suspects back on Nov 1. #UKZNMedBust
— Nabeelah Shaikh (@Nabeelah_Shaikh) March 1, 2018
Meanwhile, the suspects bail conditions have been relaxed. The trio no longer have to report to a police station once a week and passports are to be handed back to them.
In December the Bhatt’s travelled to India after being granted permission to travel by the court.
Hiramun's attorney, Wesley Rogers, said his client had to travel to Lesotho from time to time to conduct her furniture manufacturing business.