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SCAMSTER? Bally Chuene's fraud case is being heard in the High Court. Picture by Muntu Vilakazi

The case is currently before the High Court. Chuene stands accused of allegedly gratifying himself to the tune of more than R400000 under the guise of a salary from Umthombo Resources.

But a 50% owner of the company, Matodzi Nesongozwi, says he is the person authorised to sanction such appointments but didn't do so.

In November, it would appear, Chuene was appointed to Umthombo Resources - and his name was entered as a director on the company's registration forms.

But Nesongonzwi says this was all fraudulent as he made no such appointment.

On January 25, Nesongozwi filed a motion to freeze the company's bank accounts and prevented, among others, Chuene from making transactions on these banks accounts.

On Friday, the High Court heard this application, unopposed.

Sunday World understands that for November, his "first month", Chuene paid himself more than R400 000.

Chuene and his former SABC newsreader wife and beauty-queen Augustine Masilela-Chuene holidayed outside the country during the festive break. Sunday World has also been reliably informed that Chuene returned the money after the court action was launched.

Chuene has courted controversy since his days as Mandela's lawyer.

In 2008 Sunday World broke a story that the Chuenes had allegedly concealed the death by drowning of a visiting child, Bonginkosi Dube, during a party at their home in Athol, Sandton, the previous year.

Another eight children also allegedly nearly drowned that day.

In an interview, Bonginkosi's mother Millicent claimed the couple failed to report the incident to the police. She says they arranged for Dube, who was from Natalspruit, Ekurhuleni, to be buried at a cemetery near Ellis Park stadium, Jozi, against her will.

She claimed she'd only found out that the Chuenes' assurances that they'd reported the matter to the police were false when she tried to claim from insurance.

It is unknown how an incident that occurred in the presence of, among others, former SABC Group CEO Dali Mpofu and his wife, Mpumi, former SAA CEO Khaya Ngqula and his wife, Mbali, TV presenters Uyanda Mbuli and Gerry Elsdon, former O Magazine editor Thami Ngubeni and Basetsana and Romeo Kumalo could be swept under the rug.

Millicent claimed only "Bassie" had stood by her during that period.

The Chuenes refused to give their side of the story at the time.

Chuene promised to answer Sunday World's questions about Umthombo but by the time of going to press he had not done so.

Nesongozwi declined to comment on the matter.

• mzwandile@sundayworld.co.za