On Wednesday morning, Timeslive declared that Shamwari Game Reserve was one of a number of prominent properties facing seizure by the Asset Forfeiture Unit in an attempt to clamp down on corruption among senior officials.
On Wednesday morning, Timeslive declared that Shamwari Game Reserve was one of a number of prominent properties facing seizure by the Asset Forfeiture Unit in an attempt to clamp down on corruption among senior officials.
Shamwari was implicated based upon its connection with Uruguayan businessman Gaston Savoi. However Shamwari said Savoi had sold his interests in the reserve in 2005.
In a press release later that afternoon, Shamwari asserted that “since that time [he]has had no involvement, association or contact with the Shamwari Game Reserve.”
Ignus Le Roux, the Marketing Manager of the Mantis Group the company that owns Shamwari told Grocott’s Mail that he could not comment on the fraud charges against Savoi, but added that the expected raid on Shamwari, as published on Timeslive, had not in fact happened.
According to Le Roux, the first Shamwari heard of the allegations was from a concerned member of the public that morning.
Le Roux confirmed that Timeslive were factually incorrect in their assumption of Savoi’s association with Shamwari and suggested Grocott’s Mail contact the journalists involved, who were unavailable for comment.
The Timeslive article is based upon a court order which permits the state to seize property of corrupt officials.
As many as “20 houses and farms, 40 luxury vehicles – including a Ferrari 612 Scagglietti and a Maserati Quattroporte and a Learjet,” are potential targets.
The Learjet was seized on Thursday. In particular, Savoi’s charges include fraud, corruption, money laundering and contravening the Public Finance Management Act.
Timeslive pointed to Savoi as a leading member of fraudulent payment plans estimated to exceed R200-million and Shamwari Lodge as one of the properties supposedly facing seizures.
