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Booi has all the way through maintained his innocence.
Former City of Cape Town housing MMC Malusi Booi in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court. Picture: Gallo Images
Former City of Cape Town human settlements MMC Malusi Booi and his co-accused have received a temporary reprieve after the charges against them were withdrawn.
The former DA councillor returned to the dock in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court alongside his former wife, Nomvuyo Mnyaka, ex-girlfriend Lorna Ndoda, former public housing director Siphokazi September, Mohammed Amod, Randall Mullins, Suraya Manual, Brenda Mullins and Thuli Imgibi.
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Also among the accused were alleged 28s gang leader Ralph Stanfield and his wife, Nicole Johnson.
The group had faced a slew of serious charges including fraud, corruption, money laundering and racketeering.
These charges stemmed from allegations involving eight City of Cape Town housing contracts valued at over R1 billion, allegedly awarded unlawfully to companies connected to Stanfield and Johnson.
Charges withdrawn against Malusi Booi and co-accused
After being granted bail last year, the state informed the magistrate on Friday that it would be provisionally withdrawing charges against Booi, Stanfield, Johnson and nine others.
Booi, speaking to the media outside court, expressed his relief at the outcome.
“I am relieved because I’ve maintained my innocence throughout. I want to thank my 84-year-old mother, my family, my partner who have supported me unwaveringly and also my friends who have been there for me from day one who believed in my innocence so I’m very thankful to them,” he said.
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Booi said he would go home to “start my new life”.
“I’ll continue doing my farming and other prospects that I can be able to get into, but nothing is much lost.”
He bemoaned that the corruption case had casted a long shadow over his life.
“This has always put the cloud on top of my head and I’m happy today that that has all been cleared. I continue to maintain my innocence.”
Regarding possible legal action against the state, Booi said: “We’ll have an engagement with my legal team. So post that process, we’ll be able to make a determination, but not at this point.”
NPA to reinstate charges
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Western Cape spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila warned that the provisional withdrawal of charges does not equate to an acquittal.
“The charges that were provisionally withdrawn are related to the 16 commercial charges that include fraud, corruption and money laundering,” he said.
However, Stanfield and Johnson will remain behind bars as they face separate criminal charges, including a 2023 arrest related to vehicle theft.
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“The rest of the charges that are related to Poca [Proceeds of Crime Act] as well as murders will still continue against Mr Stanfield, his wife and the other accused,” Ntabazalila told reporters in Cape Town.
He also elaborated on the decision to withdraw the charges.
“The reason we withdrew those charges was because while we were getting ready to get the matter transferred to the high court, there was new evidence that was uncovered by the police while they were doing their investigation.”
Investigation continues
Ntabazalila said instead of requesting further postponements, the NPA opted to withdraw the charges to allow for the completion of the ongoing investigation.
“Once that investigation is finalised, those charges will be reinstated against those accused and they will be joined into the docket taking the matter to the high court.”
He added: “We didn’t want to prejudice the accused because imagine if we continue with the investigation and it takes longer [than expected] while they remain in custody, it will be wrong and unfair to them.”
One of the accused, Abdul-Kader Davids was fatally shot two days after he was released on R250 000 bail last year.
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