Actress Terry Phetho's three storey house in Bryanston, Johannesburg, which was allegedly built with funds siphoned from the National Lotteries Commission went under the hammer on Thursday.

AUCTION

The luxury home which has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large rooftop garden with entertainment area and maid could not be sold on the same day. The bidding price started at R3 million. Graham Renfrew from Asset Auction told ZiMoja that the house was not sold. "We did not get the minimum amount to let the sale go through, we will redo the auction," he said.

HIGH COURT GRANTED THE ORDER

This is after an order was granted by the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Pretoria, to the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to freeze the home. This follows the SIU investigations that found that the money used to buy the house was siphoned from the National Lottery Commision funding meant for the roll-out of a public campaign and culturally sensitive medical intervention projects aimed at achieving traditional circumcision practice. In a statement, SIU said after the preservation order was granted, the former the Bold and Beautiful actress's lawyers contacted the SIU and the AFU signifying that they would not contest the preservation order granted by the High Court.

CELEBRITIES IMPLICATED IN THE LOTTO SCANDAL

Terry is one of the local celebrities who benefited from the funds. Kwaito legend Arthur Mafokate, TV personality Carol Bouwer and Tsotsi star Presley Chweneyagae were fingered as some of the people who benefitted illegally from the NLC. Terry issued a statement last year denying any involvement in the fraud. She said: "I deny any involvement in the alleged scheme that has been reported on. I also had no prior knowledge of an application to obtain a preservation order against me and have no sight of this order."The SIU said Pheto's three-storey home was built using the lottery grant money meant for an "initiation programme" The National Prosecuting Authority's Asset Forfeiture Unit obtained a high court preservation order to freeze nine luxury properties, two Ocean Basket franchises, and a BMW early this year.