The protracted legal dispute between the state and Louis Liebenberg over control of the controversial fraud accused diamond-dealer's bank accounts, is set to continue in the SCA on 20 February 2025. 

Liebenberg has been accused of scamming investors in his companies, Tariomix and Forever Zircon, by promising them massive returns which never materialised, notes a News24 report.

He was criminally charged alongside eight others in October 2024.

But he has been on the prosecuting authorities' radar for years and, in March 2021, the NDPP, Shamila Batohi, secured a preservation order freezing some R100m in bank accounts belonging to Liebenberg, Tariomix and Tariomix co-director Ronelle Kleynhans. 

Liebenberg subsequently brought a reconsideration application and, in August the following year, the court ruled in his favour and overturned its previous order.

The NDPP applied to the High Court for leave to appeal that decision, but the application was refused.

Batohi then turned to the SCA. However, with the appeal record having been filed out of time and the appeal having now lapsed, it will be an uphill battle for the NDPP.

She will have to convince the court to condone the late filing and to reinstate the appeal. Meanwhile, the criminal case returns to the Bronkhorstpruit Magistrate's Court on 4 February 2025. 

Liebenberg and his wife Dezzi will both remain behind bars until then, with the former having abandoned bail and the latter having been denied bail.

Their co-accused, however, were all granted bail.

Full News24 report