IN THE DOCK: Carrim says doctors backed Dubai trip despite commission no-show

Too ill to return to the Madlanga Commission but well enough for an overseas pilgrimage, Suliman Carrim faced tough questions in court about whether he could be trusted to stand trial if released on bail. For now, he will spend the weekend behind bars alongside Shadrack Sibiya and Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, whose names have also featured at the commission.

Controversial businessman and ANC member Suliman Carrim told the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court that his doctors had encouraged him to travel abroad for “spiritual upliftment”, despite his health being the reason he did not return to the Madlanga Commission to complete his testimony.

Carrim took the witness stand on Friday, 16 October, when his legal team sought to convince the court to release him on bail after he was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport, where he was preparing to leave South Africa.

Earlier on Friday, national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe told journalists that Carrim had been flagged by the police’s cold case unit in connection with separate fraud and corruption allegations involving Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality in North West, which are still under investigation.

It was established in court that Carrim was travelling to Saudi Arabia via Dubai, where he said he intended to undertake a religious pilgrimage. He would continue to Pakistan, where he planned to distribute snacks, including sweets and biscuits, to children.

The court heard through investigating officer Captain Kubayi that Carrim was travelling with five “voluminous” bags of luggage when he was arrested. Questions were also raised about whether he had a return ticket and intended to come back to South Africa.

Carrim told the court there was nothing unusual about the journey, saying he had been making similar trips for years.

The first leg of his journey to Saudi Arabia was for “spiritual upliftment”, he said, after which he intended to travel to Pakistan to distribute sweets, biscuits and other snacks. These accounted for about 70% of the contents of his luggage.

Carrim told the court his doctor had “encouraged” him to proceed with the trip because travelling was likely to help him “feel better” as he battled a heart condition, anxiety and other health problems.

State prosecutor Donald Shiko pushed back, questioning why his doctor would encourage him to undertake an international trip when his health had previously prevented him from returning to the Madlanga Commission and being subjected to further questioning.

“I’m not well. Even my doctors advised me not to be cross-examined,” Carrim told the court.

His legal representative, Hendrik Potgieter, placed Carrim’s health at the centre of the bail application, telling the court that he suffered from anxiety and a heart condition.