Businessman Carrim’s lawyers accuse evidence leaders of trying to ‘ambush’ him

The lawyers of controversial businessman Suleiman Carrim have accused the Madlanga Commission’s evidence leaders of trying to ‘ambush’ their client.

Carrim was due to appear before the Madlanga Commission on Friday however, his lawyers successfully argued for his testimony to be pushed back to March.

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Carrim has been implicated by several witnesses at the Madlanga Commission for using his political connections to land suspected crime boss Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala a R360 million tender with the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Carrim allegedly received kickbacks as a result of this.

His lawyer, Kameel Prehmid, said that his client did not have enough time to prepare, as some of the documents were received less than a day before he was due to testify.

“The attitude of the attorneys has always been that our client has to come and testify in front of this commission, but he cannot be ambushed and until such time that the commission complies with its own rules to properly define the scope of inquiry he would then be prejudiced as a result,” he added.

The commission’s senior evidence leader, Mathew Chaskalson, did not oppose the postponement. However, he said Carrim’s lawyers have always presented an obstructionist attitude.

“To suggest that if we had merely what we did last night and produce this bundle at an earlier stage, the problem would’ve gone away is with respect, wholly incorrect. There was a separate, and frankly preposterous legal position being taken that you can’t order us to issue a statement and to testify, choose what you want.”