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The NPA’s inability to jail state capture suspects like Moroadi Cholota continues to erode public confidence.
The entrance of the NPA offices in Pretoria. Picture: Michel Bega
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) considers that it was unlucky in the ruling handed down by the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein which allowed one of former Free State premier Ace Magashule’s corruption co-accused to walk free.
NPA national spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said the organisation was “taken aback by the judgment” because the NPA believed Moroadi Cholota and her lawyers were effectively appealing the United States judgment which permitted her extradition from there.
Clearly, he missed Bloemfontein judge Philip Loubser stating “it is undeniable that the state presented false and incorrect information to United States authorities”, information upon which those authorities acted in good faith and deported Cholota.
Without getting into the legal minutiae, this is clearly another example where the NPA has failed to progress a case against a high-profile state capture accused.
It has now been eight years since the release of the “Gupta Leaks” information which fingered a host of ANC-connected individuals in state capture.
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In that time, the NPA has failed in a number of attempts to finalise successful prosecutions, including those involving the Estina Dairy, former Eskom executive Matshela Koko, ANC politician Zizi Kodwa and the extradition of the Gupta brothers from the United Arab Emirates to stand trial in South Africa.
It’s an often-aired, but manifestly true, complaint from the public that, despite the massive coverage of apparently well-sourced allegations in the media about state capture, no politician or business person has ended up behind bars wearing an orange prison uniform.
There are three possible reasons for that. First, all these good citizens are innocent and it has been a plot by white monopoly capital-bought media.
Second, the level of incompetence within the NPA beggars belief.
Finally, the NPA is being “persuaded” – one way or another – to not do its job properly. You decide which one is most likely…
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