seizing criminal assets to fight crime
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Seizing Criminal Assets to Fight Crime. Asset Forfeiture Unit National Prosecuting Authority Report to National Council of Provinces, Parliament May 2007. Overall objectives. 1: Increase the volume of cases - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Seizing Criminal Assets to Fight Crime
Asset Forfeiture Unit
National Prosecuting Authority
Report to National Council of Provinces, Parliament
May 2007
Overall objectives
1: Increase the volume of cases• to build the capacity to do more cases to make a
real impact in the fight against crime
2: Developing the law• to do test cases and create legal precedents that
allow the effective use of the law
1: Increasing the volume of cases
2005 / 2006 2006 / 2007
Indicator Target: Actual: % oftarget
Target: Actual % oftarget
Number of cases
Seizures 210 252 120% 230 252 110%
Cases completed 160 220 138% 180 244 134%
Monetary targets
Seizures R 250m R 344m 138% R300m R 775m 258%
Cases completed R 100m R 107m 107% R120m R101m 84%
Funds into CARA R 50m R 20m 40% R25m R 19m 77%
Notes on volume of cases
• New seizures – No. of cases: well above target – Value of cases: More than double annual target
• Due to King case (est R500m frozen – possibly R1bn)
• Completed cases – No. of cases: well above target– Value of cases: About 15% below target
• CARA– Slightly below target– Shaik deposit of about R42m only next year
Important cases• David King – obtained freezing orders through MLA
– in Guernsey, England and Wales– for as much as about R1 billion – one of largest cases
ever – He has vowed to drag the case on for next 10 years
• Delport – customs fraud of R350m– largest ever number of assets seized in SA – about
R80m • Shaik finalised – will pay about R40m
CARA first payments• First CARA payouts made this year • Was an important development • Most of funds to fight crime • But also to help organisations that assist victims
– DSD – 8 rape crisis and battered woman centres
– SAPS – one way glass for ID parades – TRC victims – SOCA – specialised equipment
2: Developing the law2005 / 2006 2006 / 2007
Indicator Target Actual % oftarget
Target: Actual % oftarget
Total Judgements 45 38 84% 36 32 89%
Judgements: Con Court 1 2
Supreme Court Appeal 4 4
Success rate 67% 72% +5% 67% 81% 14%
Success rate: CC/SCA 75% 80% +5% 75% 67% -8%
Judgements to date Success rate to date
All judgements 204 67%
Constitutional Court 6 83%
Supreme Court Appeal 19 63%
Note on judgements• Success rate of more than 85% in all cases• Also measure success rate in cases where judgments are
obtained• In 4 years to April 2003
– won only 48% of judgments (25 of 52)• Big change in last 3 years in judgements
– 03/04 won 77% of judgements (27 of 35) – 04/05 won 65% of judgements (30 of 46)– 05/06 won 72% of judgements (27.5 of 38)– 06/07 won 81% of judgements (26 of 36)
• Since Nov 2004, have won 12 of 15 cases in SCA/CC = 80%
Important judgements
Constitutional Court• Prophet drug house - appeal refused. Clarify
instrumentality forfeitures • Absa vs Fraser – legal expenses cannot be
granted to accused at the expense of creditors or victims without hearing them
• Mohunram – illegal casino instrumentality – Lost narrowly 6 vs 5 – Majority appear to require organised crime link
• Shaik – will argue leave to appeal on 24 May
Important judgements
Supreme Court of Appeal• Shaik – held that AFU can take gross benefit – not only
the profit. Clarify confiscation procedure • Van Staden – drunk driving cars are instrumentalities • Mngomezulu – drug dealer – curator can sell off property
to pay expenses of the estate• Van Rensburg –lost on technical pointHigh Court notable cases• Boekhoud/Yield – hearsay admissible when undercover
agents still in syndicate• Marinus – compelled to disclose assets to get legal
expenses
Partners relations
• Generally relations are excellent • SAPS (incl SCCU)
– about 90% of cases, 30% value– Have SAPS task teams in most AFU offices
• DSO – about 8 % of cases, 67% value• SARS – Delport case • NPS – ensure that get more referrals
– Working on new organised crime initiative• Others: SARB, FIC, MCM
Challenges• Major challenge to expand its capacity sufficiently to deal
with all the cases that are currently in court and where asset forfeiture can be done
• Estimate is about R1 to R2 billion, – apart from other proceeds that can be targeted
through civil forfeiture• Prepared a business case to expand capacity sufficiently
to deal with this over 5 years• Requires expanding the budget almost eight -fold
– Budget has increased significant additional funding