JOHANNESBURG The Standard Bank in South Africa was right to close the bank accounts of Zimbabwean business tycoon, John Bredenkamp, due to his connections with the former Zanu (PF) government in Zimbabwe, the Supreme Court of Appeal has said.The appeal by Bredenkamp was unanimously dismissed by Judge Louis Harms and five appeal judges. The Zimbabwean business mans order was sought following the decision by the bank in 2008 in close his accounts. Standard Bank made the call after Bredenkamp was listed as a special designated national by the US Department of Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (Ofac). This ruling meant that Bredenkamp was subject to sanctions imposed and enforced by Ofac.
Bredenkamp appealed the closure of his bank accounts on the basis that he would be unable to build a banking relationship any where else in the country. However, Judge Harms defended the banks position, saying that it did not make a moral decision, but one based on a need to protect its reputation.
“(Standard Bank) gave the appellants a reasonable time to take their business elsewhere,” the judgment reads. Staff reporter
Police moved to arrest Farai soon after he met with Kimberly Process
Certification Scheme Zimbabwe monitor Abbey Chikane in Mutare last week.
Prosecutor Simon Chabuka told the court that Lisben, 24, obstructed justice
by preventing the police from arresting Farai last Thursday. But he did not
explain how he did that.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, the Zimbabwe Peace Project and the
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition have condemned the alleged abuses of Lisbens first lawyer, Nyamaropa. Staff reporter
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