By Adv Anton du Plessis
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is mandated to uphold the rule of law by bringing suspected criminals to justice and claiming back stolen money. Calls for swift and effective accountability are growing louder, and many South Africans are questioning whether the NPA is up to the task.
A former SARS official Khutso Meloreng Hlongwane (44), will appear at Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Friday, 8 July 2022, after her representations made to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP,) to have her charges withdrawn were unsuccessful.
A 42-year-old man, Modirelwa Maxwell Mokoana, and a 40-year-old sergeant Thabo Letudi Mokoana, of Benoni police station, appeared in Nebo Magistrates’ Court for a formal bail application, on charges of kidnapping, murder and defeating the ends of justice. The incident took place on 09 May 2022, in Kgaphamadi village Limpopo. The accused were arrested on 31 June 2022.
The accused man that defrauded the National Lotteries Commission(NLC), over R1,5 million was sentenced to eight years imprisonment, by the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sitting in Palm Ridge Magistrates’ Court. The court heard evidence of how Christopher Tshivule(46), “hijacked” a Non-Profit Organization (NPO) called “The Message”, that operated in Bekkersdal. Its main focus was youth development and empowerment.
Dillon Morakile has appeared in the Galeshewe District Court, on a charge of robbery with aggravating circumstances. The 27-year-old is accused of having robbed the Post Office Branch in Mankurwaneng, near Kimberley. It is alleged that on the day of the commissioning of the crime, the accused together with his accomplice, entered the Post Office and pointed employees with firearms.