KEY POINTS
- The Gauteng High Court has decided to deny Desiree Liebenberg bail.
- According to the court, she remains a potential flight risk since she has been dishonest about living with her US-citizen husband.
- Liebenberg and her husband have been accused of racketeering and fraud.
The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has refused to change the earlier decision not to grant Desiree Liebenberg bail, finding that she has not presented proof of address and may flee before the trial takes place.
Authorities arrested both Liebenberg and his wife in October 2024 on charges of racketeering, money laundering, fraud, theft, and corruption.
The judge accepted the decision made by the magistrate
Judge Mashudu Munzhelele upheld the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court’s November 2024 decision to keep Liebenberg in pretrial custody. The issues related to her living situation were still outstanding, as well as the severity of the allegations added to his decision.
The magistrate made the right decision in denying bail, according to the judge. Because the accused has given several addresses and the evidence against her is strong, the judge decided she should remain in custody.
Information about multiple home addresses was a concern
In the past, Liebenberg had presented three bail applications for herself.
A rented house in Bronkhorstspruit (where it’s alleged she lived with her husband).
We also have a second rental home available in Bloemfontein.
A property offered by a friend which the officer didn’t know about prior.
The court ruled that since her statements were not verified, there was doubt she would show up for trial.
The State argues Desiree Liebenberg might run because of missing funds
The prosecution alleged that Liebenberg might flee, claiming she and her husband had access to over R200 million hidden from authorities.
The State opposed her release, arguing that her resources and history of evading authorities made her a flight risk.
Before their arrest, the couple hired private security and expressed fears for their safety—further suggesting she might try to avoid prosecution if granted bail.
