Former prosecutor Siphokazi Magangana (53) has been sentenced to seven years’ direct imprisonment by the Roodepoort Regional Court on charges of corruption and money laundering linked to incidents reported at Clearwater Mall and elsewhere in Johannesburg.

Magangana, who joined the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in 2020, pleaded guilty to all charges arising from incidents that occurred in August 2022 while she was employed as a prosecutor within the Johannesburg cluster.

According to NPA communications officer Magaboke Mohlatlole, the court heard that on August 13, 2022, Magangana approached a complainant at Clearwater Mall and offered to assist her in securing an appointment as a public prosecutor in exchange for R10 000.

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Three days later, she allegedly approached another complainant in Johannesburg and offered to help him secure an appointment as an aspirant prosecutor in return for the same amount.

Following Magangana’s instructions, both complainants deposited the requested amounts into a bank account belonging to a third party. She also admitted that she had deliberately used another person’s account to conceal the unlawful proceeds and acknowledged that her actions amounted to corruption and money laundering.

“The accused was subsequently arrested following a complaint that was lodged, after which the Organised Crime Unit guided the investigation,” said Mohlatlole.

Senior State Advocate Faghre Mohamed reached a sentencing agreement with the defence. Magangana was subsequently sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for each of the two corruption charges and three years’ imprisonment for each of the two money laundering charges.

The sentences were ordered to run concurrently, resulting in an effective sentence of seven years’ direct imprisonment. As part of the plea agreement, all charges against the third party were withdrawn.

Magangana has since resigned from her position and has remained in custody since her arrest.