Law Courts Correspondent

THERE was still no word last night from beleaguered European Aerospace Defence Systems' (EADS's) local MD Michael Woerfel or his company.

With Woerfel scheduled to make his first court appearance in Pretoria's Specialised Commercial Crime Court today, EADS maintained its silence on his whereabouts.

Woerfel, the suspended head of EADS, is thought to be out of the country at present.

A warrant for Woerfel's arrest was issued in court last week, coinciding with the arrest of African National Congress Chief Whip Tony Yengeni, who is facing charges of corruption. Yengeni also faces forgery charges and has since resigned as the party's chief whip.

The arrest is related to the R43bn arms deal, in which Woerfel's company has a stake. in SA's R43bn arms deal, is scheduled to appear in Pretoria's Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.

EADS suspended Woerfel late last month following a preliminary investigation by the company into the "cars for arms" scandal which made headlines earlier this year.

Both Yengeni and Woerfel face fraud charges as alternatives to the main corruption charge.

Investigations by the media earlier this year found that at least 30 VIPs, some of whom are connected to the arms deal, received cars from EADS at discounted prices.

EADS yesterday refused to say where Woerfel was. say anything other than point journalists to a facsimile the firm put out at the time of Yengeni's court appearance last week.

EADS said in the terse communication it was cooperating in full with the multi-agency probe on SA's arms deal. "The same applies to Michael Woerfel," it said last week.

Asked about Woerfel's whereabouts yesterday, an EADS spokesman, who gave his name only as Ari, said: "Even if I knew anything, I would not comment."

He said: "Everything we have that has to be said is in that fax we sent out (on October 3)".

However, the Scorpions who have been investigating the case have previously expressed confidence that Woerfel will appear in court today.

Sipho Ngwema, who is a spokesman for the national director of public prosecutions, Bulelani Ngcuka has said Woerfel's legal representatives have given an undertaking that he will be back in the country for his court appearance.

Simultaneously, the elite investigating unit the Scorpions said yesterday they had searched various premises in and outside the country for documents related to the arms investigation.

The searches included various premises in SA, Mauritius and France and targeted some contractors involved in the R43bn arms deal.

With acknowledgement to Bonile Ngqiyaza and Business Day.