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Former Acting National Police Commissioner Kgomotso Phahlane
PHOTO: Daan Vivier, Netwerk24
- Attorneys representing former high-ranking police officers and a businessman linked to the allegedly fraudulent multi-million dollar blue light tender by SAPS want the case resolved.
- The defendants include former Acting National Police Commissioner Kgomotso Phahlane, former Deputy National Police Commissioner Bonang Mgwenya and former Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Deliwe de Lange.
- They face charges of fraud, corruption, theft and money laundering related to a 191 million rand tender to equip 1,500 police vehicles with blue lights.
Attorneys representing former high-ranking police officers and a businessman linked to the allegedly fraudulent multi-million dollar blue light tender by SAPS want the matter resolved.
The Palm Ridge-based Johannesburg Commercial Crimes Court heard two requests from lawyers representing 11 defendants, including a private company owned by businessman Vimpie Phineas Tlalefang Manthata.
Manthata, his company Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement, Former Acting National Police Commissioner Kgomotso Phahlane, Former Deputy National Police Commissioner Bonang Mgwenya, Former Provincial Commissioner for Gauteng Deliwe de Lange, Ramahlapi Mokwena, James Ramanjalum, Lettie Napo, Thomas Marima, Joseph Mulaiwa, Judy Rose and Samantha Andrews face charges of fraud, corruption, theft and money laundering related to a R191 million tender to equip 1,500 police vehicles with blue lights.
Mgwenya was fired from her post last week after police management launched a departmental investigation following her court appearance.
Mgwenya was suspended on October 15.
His attorneys have argued that the state’s attorney, Tilas Chabalala, was not ready to proceed with the case despite his promises.
The attorneys have requested that the matter be removed from the list or that they be granted permission for a permanent stay of prosecution.
They alleged that the delays and postponements of the State showed that it was not ready to proceed.
#bluelights Attorneys representing the defendants said they want the case against their clients dropped due to the NPA’s many delays. State Attorney Tilas Tshabalala previously said he was ready to proceed @ TeamNews24
– Seleka (@ntwaagae) November 16, 2020
The lawyers also affirmed that a search and seizure operation was carried out on the properties of the accused, where some items were removed.
Hours earlier, Magistrate Emmanuel Magampa dropped the charges against Major General Ravichandran Pillay.
Chabalala said he was ready to continue the trial against the defendants.
READ | Phahlane arrested on new charges related to R86m blue lights tender
Chabalala claimed that some attorneys for the defendants once called him disrespectful.
Chabalala said:
Some lawyers began to make lawsuits and [an] ultimatum that if the state does not comply with those demands, it will request that the matter be removed from the list. I did not know that an attorney would ask for a permanent stay of prosecution.
“The final charge sheet has been sent to some of the defendants. It’s just that the state is ready to move on as of today. Their attorneys are overreacting on their requests. charges.
“I cannot say that I have not seen the results of the search and capture operations. I am aware that there are certain objects that we wanted from the accused and we found them.
“As of today, it is unclear whether or not those affected by searches and seizures will be charged with possession of illegal objects,” Chabalala told the court.
The hearing continues on November 24.
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