Steinhoff: The schlenter laid bare
Once Markus Jooste took his own life, all deals were off and the focus shifted to the former finance head
Ben la Grange, the former finance director of Steinhoff, appeared to be a whisker away from becoming a state witness against his former boss Markus Jooste. Then Jooste, due to finally face criminal charges six years after Steinhoff cratered, shot himself on the cliff paths of Hermanus in March, and the bid to prosecute South Africa’s defining corporate fraud changed trajectory overnight.
Last week La Grange, 49, appeared for the first time in Pretoria’s Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, charged alongside Steinhoff’s former legal head, Stéhan Grobler, with fraud, racketeering, corruption and financial markets infringements. He’ll feel that but for Jooste’s fatal decision in March, it could have all been so different...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.