COURT ORDERS FOR TRIAL AGAINST LEGAL PRACTITIONER CHARGED FOR CORRUPTION TO COMMENCE

The Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Palm Ridge ordered that the trial against Adv Timothy Ramabulana proceed after the state filed a Sec 342A of the CPA for the court to investigate the unreasonable delay caused by the accused. The court ruled in favour of the NPA’s IDAC and the matter was postponed to 20 August 2026 for trial on a running roll.

The state filed this application following several postponements, wherein the accused filed a number of applications since his first court appearance on 17 April 2024.

He is facing 12 charges that include acquisition or use of proceeds of unlawful activities, fraud and the Contravention of the Legal Practice Act, and money laundering.

These charges relate to five money transfers amounting to approximately R57 000 that were allegedly made into his personal account between January 2020 and November 2021. These funds were allegedly transferred from a company known as Isimbali Trading and Projects (Pty) Ltd. This company, which is linked to Kishene Chetty and Salamina Khoza, forms part of a criminal court matter, wherein the two and other officials from the South African Police Service (SAPS) are facing corruption charges relating to a tender that was awarded irregularly to brand police vehicles.

Ramabulana, in his capacity as an advocate, was not entitled to receive payments from Isimbali as he ought to have known that the funds formed part of proceeds of unlawful activities. The payments were allegedly made to him for representing some of the accused in the SAPS matter. He allegedly also misrepresented that he was instructed by a firm of attorneys to represent the accused, thus contravening the Legal Practice Act, which further prohibits him from receiving a fee, commission or a reward without instructions from a law firm and without possession of a Fidelity Fund Certificate.

Enquiries:

Henry Mamothame

IDAC - Spokesperson