Taxi boss Joe Ferrari Sibanyoni claims that the complainant in his since dismissed extortion trial borrowed R900,000 from him and that they were in constant communication over other business dealings.
In a statement for his bail application, Sibanyoni said businessperson Thomas Ntuli had even visited his home at the Centurion Golf Estate in August 2024. He described the evidence against him as extremely weak to entirely non existent, saying the matter stemmed from a civil disagreement.
Sibanyoni said Ntuli had visited his residence on numerous occasions and borrowed R900,000 from him between 2022 and 2025, which has since been repaid. He said he had last seen Ntuli at a funeral over two weeks ago and that the case brought against him was defamatory.
To prove their close relationship, Sibanyoni and his legal team attached WhatsApp messages between the two dating back to 2024 and 2025. In the messages, they refer to each other by nicknames such as Landlord and Growthpoint, and also use clan names.
When contacted for comment, Ntuli said he reserved his right to comment and would defend himself in a trial.
Sibanyoni and his three co-accused faced allegations of extortion and money laundering involving R2.2 million in protection fees from Ntuli, who is involved in the R573 Moloto Road construction project. However, the case was struck off the roll.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said they are investigating the process and considering their options regarding the magistrate’s decision to strike the case off the roll.