‘NO BAIL FOR LIEBENBERG’

Louis Liebenberg fights back. Picture: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers

Thu 24 October 2024:

One of South Africa’s most foremost specialist investigators has called for Louis Liebenberg to be denied bail. The Hawks arrested the diamond dealer, allegedly a mastermind in a ponzi scheme, alongside his wife, Dezzi, and several others Benoni yesterday.

Speaking in an interview with Newzroom Afrika this morning, investigator Mike Bolhuis said he hoped Liebenberg would be kept behind bars. He is expected to appear in court on charges relating to fraud and money laundering tomorrow.

“The Hawks must make very sure that there’s extremely strict bail conditions if he gets bail. But hopefully they will keep him, [because] he will have infrastructure outside and help outside. He still has an infrastructure and he has got connections … Until the money has run dry, these criminals will buy their way out,” said Bolhuis.

“Louis Liebenberg was sought after on many investigations, including this ponzi scheme but also a possible interference in the election and also in possible hit-list of certain individuals that he wanted taken out.”

The Hawks confirmed – without naming the Liebenbergs – that they arrested eight suspects linked to a diamond investment scam worth billions of Rand.

“The operation, which resumed last [Tuesday] night, rounded up suspects in Gauteng and North West. The suspects include a couple wherein the husband is alleged to be the mastermind behind the scam along with his wife. Diamond investors were scammed of more than R4 billion since 2019.”