An attorney who was appointed as curator of the company Tariomix is now in a legal battle with the liquidators to avoid being questioned in a section 417 inquiry.

Netwerk24 reports that Zaheer Cassim, a seasoned insolvency practitioner, applied to the Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) to set aside a subpoena for his insolvency practice’s bank accounts or to answer to testify before a commissioner in an insolvency inquiry.

The liquidators hit back in opposing papers, saying the company linked to alleged diamond fraudster Louis Liebenberg, flourished with additional transactions under Cassim’s curatorship.

‘Since 1 July 2021 until date of liquidation, Tariomix continued with its operations. In fact, the number of investors creq from 8506 on 29 June 2021 (when Cassim was appointed) to 40 185 on 23 February 2023 (the date of liquidation)’.

Said the liquidators: ‘It is understandable that the applicant (Cassim) is hesitant to testify and therefore approached the court to stop his attendance at further inquiries.’

Cassim denies that his practice’s bank accounts could be relevant to the insolvency inquiry.

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