Pretoria - A charge of statutory perjury against former African National Congress chief whip Tony Yengeni was withdrawn in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court on Friday.

The charge related to alleged false evidence given to arms deal investigators. Magistrate Bill Moyses postponed the case against Yengeni and Michael Woerfel, suspended managing director of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), until March 15. Their bail was extended.

The charges against them relate to an alleged 47 percent discount given to Yengeni when he bought a luxury Mercedes Benz 4X4 in a deal apparently organised by Woerfel.

It is alleged that Woerfel sold the car to Yengeni for R182 563. The retail price for the vehicle was about R349 950.

Yengeni sold the infamous Mercedes for R220 000 in November last year. The State alleges Yengeni received the vehicle with the intention "to use his power or exercise his influence to influence the arms acquisitions process" in favour of EADS' predecessor, Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG or DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG".

Yengeni was chairperson of parliament's joint standing committee on defence at the time.

EADS - a joint venture between DaimlerChrysler Aerospace and two European companies - has a 33 percent stake in Reutech Radar Systems, a Stellenbosch-based company that secured a R220 million contract to provide radar for four corvettes that form part of the government's multi-billion rand arms acquisition programme.

The forgery charge pertains to an agreement of sale drafted in respect of the car transaction. There is also a fraud charge as alternative to the count of corruption.

Yengeni handed himself over to police on October 3 and was subsequently released on bail of R10 000.

Woerfel, who was abroad at that time, appeared in court on October 10 and was freed on the same amount of bail.

During their brief appearance on Friday, Jan Henning, for the State, told the court that the statutory perjury charge was being withdrawn.

Asked about the reason for the withdrawal outside court, Henning said the events alleged in the charge did not happen during the same time and place as those contained in the other charges.

In line with the Criminal Procedure Act, the charge was therefore withdrawn for technical reasons.

Asked whether Yengeni could still face such a charge in a separate case, Henning said it was really a "side-show", compared to the corruption and fraud charges

With acknowledgement to Sapa and www.news24.co.za.