Three additional accused have appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court and joined Charlotte Tibana and Peter “Gagash” Nonyane in a case involving 101 charges of alleged fraud, theft and money laundering linked to the administration of deceased estates.
Rirhlweni Tibana, 30, Jabulani Nephtal Maluleke, 43, and Risima Jeje Trading Enterprise (Pty) Ltd briefly appeared in court on Monday and were formally joined as co-accused.
The matter stems from allegations that about R11 million was unlawfully withdrawn and laundered from estate accounts belonging to several deceased people.
Charlotter Tibana previously worked at the Master’s Office before qualifying as an attorney, meaning she was familiar with the legal processes and responsibilities involved in administering deceased estates.
Properties allegedly used to conceal proceeds
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Mashudu Malabi said Charlotte Tibana, who owns several properties, allegedly registered some of them in the name of her younger sibling, Rirhlweni Tibana, in an attempt to conceal the proceeds of alleged criminal activities.
Malabi said the State further alleges that funds were transferred into the business account of Risima Jeje Trading Enterprise.
The charges relate to the administration of 15 deceased estates for which Charlotte Tibana had been appointed as executor.
The State alleges that Tibana was aware as early as 2024 that she was under investigation but continued to commit further offences, some of which allegedly occurred as recently as July 2026.
R11m allegedly withdrawn from estate accounts
The accused were arrested between August 14 and September 27, 2026, following an extensive investigation into the alleged unlawful withdrawal and laundering of funds from deceased estates.
According to the State’s case, the accused allegedly concealed or disguised the nature, source, location, disposition and movement of approximately R11 million withdrawn from estate accounts belonging to various deceased persons.
The NPA alleges that approximately R1.65 million of the proceeds was used to purchase a pre-owned Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 from a dealership in Pretoria.
It is further alleged that Gagashe used part of the proceeds to make stokvel contributions and to build a residential property.
Prosecutors further alleged that about R1.65 million of the funds was used to purchase a used Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 from a Pretoria dealership.
Estate worth more than R4.2m allegedly misappropriated
In another estate matter valued at over R4 million the State alleges that only R1.47 million was paid to the deceased’s children, while the remaining funds were unlawfully misappropriated.
The State further alleges that Charlotte Tibana and another accused used the business account of Risima Jeje Trading Enterprise to launder the proceeds.
The case was postponed to October 2, 2026, for a bail application.
However, Gagashe and his wife were denied bail, and they are in a process of appealing the ruling in the high court.
All accused remain in custody.
sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za
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