In a new twist to the Africrypt saga, two different reports have made contradicting claims about the whereabouts of Raees and Ameer Cajee, the two directors of the collapse bitcoin investment firm. However, both reports suggest the Cajees brothers had planned their escape prior to the alleged hacking incident in April.
Vanuatu or Tanzania
In its report, the UK outlet Daily Mail claims to have seen documents suggesting that Raees had purchased Vanuatu citizenship for about $131,000 (£95,000) back in October 2020. About three months later, Ameer would make a similar purchase. The same report quotes Cajees brothers suggesting that their disappearance had been prompted by fears that a criminal gang wanted to harm them.
Interestingly, the claims by the brothers that they fled South Africa to avoid being harmed by an organized criminal syndicate appear to be corroborated by a Moneyweb report. In this report, the Cajees brothers are quoted claiming that they had received death threats following the collapse of Africrypt. It is these death threats that Raees uses to justify their joint decision to flee the country.
However, in its report, the South African-based Moneyweb appears to contradict the assertion that Raees and his brother are hiding in Vanuatu. Instead, it points to an affidavit signed by Raees which indicates that he may have been in Tanzania when he signed this document. The signing of the affidavit had apparently been prompted by a South African High Court’s decision to grant a provisional liquidation order against Africrypt.
Africrypt’s Fightback
As the Moneyweb report notes, in the next few months, the High Court is expected to rule on whether to grant the final order or not. However, before this ruling is delivered, interested parties argue their cases hence Raees’ affidavit.
Meanwhile, in his affidavit, Raees again dismisses claims that $3.6 billion in investors’ funds have gone missing under the Cajee brothers’ watch. Instead, Raees suggests that the amount in question is closer to $6 million. Also in his affidavit, Raees rejects allegations that Africrypt had a bank account at FNB or the assertions that the investment company had invested in cryptocurrencies. He also repeats Africrypt management’s long-shot argument that the investment firm should not be held liable for the losses.
Is liquidation the best way to recover the vanished investor funds? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.
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