Johannesburg – Fraud accused Xolisile Guquza tried to hide his face with a paper bag before his appearance in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Wednesday.

Wearing a blue suit and a pink shirt, he put a Nando’s paper bag over his head as cameras flashed in front of him before court proceedings began.

The bag had holes cut out in front.

Guquza later stood up, with the bag still over his head, and walked out of court.

He, Thabo Shogolo, and former National Youth Development Agency boss Andile Lungisa and his wife Ursula Sali are accused of fraud and money laundering.

It is alleged they accepted and shared among themselves R2.5m paid by the arts and culture department for the Nelson Mandela Sports Day concert.

They allegedly promised that US singer R Kelly would perform at the concert but he did not.

They were arrested after handing themselves over to the Hawks earlier this month.

Lungisa and Shogolo were granted bail of R10 000 each, Guquza was granted bail of R5 000, and Sali was released on a warning.

Lungisa has since asked to be relieved of his political duties as an ANC Eastern Cape executive committee member while he deals with the charges against him. 

The case was postponed and would return to court on 15 November.

SAPA