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- Businessman Edwin Sodi finds himself at the centre of a R255m asbestos audit tender scandal.
- Sodi and six co-accused were arrested in a series of swoops last week.
- The arrest has revealed the extent of Sodi's wealth and his range of luxury assets.
Luxury sportscars owned by debonair businessman Edwin Sodi and his firm Blackhead Consulting have left the company's Bryanston headquarters after being seized by the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU).
More than 25 vehicles are expected to be placed under lock and key, pending the outcome of the criminal pursuit of the businessman.
A Ferrari FF, understood to be valued at about R3 million, pulled into the property before AFU officials arrived on Tuesday morning.
A Bentley Continental GT - valued at more than R3 million - was also seen leaving the business premises.
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The cars and a range of other assets were restrained by the AFU ahead of Sodi's arrest last week.
The graft-busting unit secured a provisional restraint order, allowing it to seize assets, including luxury sports cars, and freeze bank accounts.
The NPA reported that assets and cash totalling R300 million had been frozen.
Sodi, ousted Mangaung mayor Sarah Mlamleli, head of the Free State human settlements department Nthimotse Mokhesi, John Matlakala, Sello Radebe, Abel Manyeki and Thabane Zulu were hauled before the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on Friday.
They face more than 60 charges, including corruption, fraud and money laundering.
The seven have allegedly been tied to a tainted multimillion-rand asbestos audit contract, advanced by the Free State's Department of Human Settlements in 2014, which envisioned an audit of 36 000 low cost homes in the province.
The contract was worth R255m, with Sodi allegedly paid R230m of that.
ALSO READ | Arrests in R255m asbestos audit corruption case the result of a year-long probe by SIU, Hawks
The graft-busting unit last week secured a provisional restraint order, seizing assets including luxury sports cars, and putting a freeze and bank accounts, their total haul amounting to R300m.
The NPA's Sipho Ngwema said that court appointed curators had taken charge of the cars.
"The curators have been working at the business premises as well as Sodi's Bryanston property. They have concluded their work for the day," he said.
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