JUST IN | Peet Viljoen denied bail in R27.6 million fraud case

Disbarred lawyer Peet Viljoen will remain behind bars after a Pretoria court denied him bail in a R27.6 million fraud case.

Disbarred lawyer Peet Viljoen has been denied bail by the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria in a R27.6 million fraud case.

Magistrate Nicca Setshogoe ruled that he was a flight risk and ordered that he remain in custody.

His wife, reality TV personality Mel Viljoen, was seen crying after the ruling.

Viljoen was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on June 16 after being deported from the United States.

He faces about 400 charges, including fraud, theft, corruption, forgery and uttering, linked to an alleged Johannesburg Property Company property fraud scheme.

His lawyer, Andre Steenkamp, had previously argued that Viljoen was not a flight risk because he voluntarily returned to South Africa knowing he would be arrested.

The defense offered R200,000 bail and proposed that Viljoen remain under house arrest at his sister’s home in Pretoria and report to police daily.

Prosecutor Van Zyl opposed bail, arguing that Viljoen had previously said on social media that he would never return to South Africa.