The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has welcomed the sentencing of celebrity chef, Lusizo Henna, who was on Monday slapped with a 10-year jail term on six counts of fraud and six years’ imprisonment on 14 counts of money laundering by the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sitting in Palm Ridge Court.
According to the NPA, the presiding magistrate found that the 41-year-old Henna, as owner of Blaque Olive Chefs, claimed undue VAT refunds totalling R5.3 million, of which SARS paid R3.1m to Henna.
It has been reported that there were no trading activities in Blaque Olive’s bank accounts which proved that these claims were made in order to defraud the tax man.
NPA spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane, said after receiving R3.1m in his bank account, Henna laundered the R3.1m in 14 days by transferring the proceeds of the scheme to relatives, friends and others related to him.
“Evidence in aggravation was presented on behalf of SARS explaining the damage to the fiscus as a result of schemes such as these. Advocate Marius Oosthuizen, on behalf of the State, submitted that only direct imprisonment would be appropriate as crimes against the fiscus have a detrimental impact on the government’s ability to render services.
“It was further submitted that dealing harshly with offenders of schemes like these would improve South Africa’s grey listing status in respect of financial crimes. He added that it was important for the justice system to send a message to looters of the fiscus that they would be treated harshly,“ Mjonondwane said.
As such, the NPA applauded the commitment of the investigation team for their efforts in holding Henna accountable for stealing from the fiscus.
“As the NPA we continue in our plight to protect the fiscus and we applaud the commitment of Advocate Oosthuizen as well as the investigating team in ensuring that justice is served,” she said.
Henna is the founder of the Blaque Continental Bistro, which gained prominence as the country’s leading chefs and is according to his profile, a graduate of London’s prestigious Waltham Forest College who is “hailed as a contemporary food-master and trendsetter”.
The Star