The president of the South African Football Association (SAFA), Danny Jordan, He was arrested on Wednesday and later released on bail, accused of fraud and theft worth 1.3 million rand (about 68,000 euros).
Jordan and two other suspects denied the accusations against them before the Palm Ridge Economic Crimes Court, in Johannesburg, and were released after paying bail of 20,000 rand (about 1,045 euros) each.
The other two accused are SAFA’s financial director Gronie Hluyo, and businessman and former journalist Trevor Neethling, according to the South African press.
The three were charged with seven counts, including fraud, theft and conspiracy to commit fraud and theft.
In their first court appearance, both Jordaan and Hluyo stated that their arrests constituted abuse and that there was no prosecution case against them.
Along these lines, Neethling argued that the accusations against him were “baseless” and “outrageous.”
The Prosecutor’s Office maintains that, between 2014 and 2018, Jordaan used SAFA money for his own benefit: among other things, he allegedly hired a private security company for his personal protection, as well which is also a public relations company without the necessary authorization from SAFA. .
The spokesperson for the Priority Crime Investigation Directorate of the South African Police, Colonel Katlego Mogale, limited himself to confirming that on Wednesday morning the arrest warrants of two prominent SAFA executives and a 46-year-old businessman were executed, without giving details.
“This follows an intensive investigation (…) into allegations of fraud and theft worth R1.3 million,” Mogale said, as quoted by local media ‘IOL’.
The colonel added that in March SAFA offices were raided, where some electronic equipment and files were seized which were investigated and led to the current arrest.
Jordaan, 73, an activist against the apartheid system of racial segregation and a former politician and university professor, has led SAFA since 2013, where he is also executive director.
In addition, he led the bid for the 2010 World Cup, which was held in South Africa and won by Spain.
A former national MP and mayor of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality (south-east) for just over a year, Jordaan has been on the marketing and television board of the International Football Federation (FIFA) since 1998.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
