The case against former State Security Agency Minister, Bongani Bongo and 11 others has once again been postponed. The accused appeared at the Nelspruit Commercial Crimes Court in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, on Wednesday.
They are facing 69 charges of fraud, corruption, money laundering and the Public Finance Management Act. It is alleged that the accused worked in concert to inflate the value of two farms purchased on behalf of two local municipalities in 2011.
Bongo and his co-accused were ready for trial. And the state also indicated its eagerness to proceed with the case. But the defence lawyers wanted clarity on certain information relevant to the case. Their request necessitated another postponement.
“The matter has been postponed to 19 June 2023 for plea and trial. The trial has been set to the 19th of June 2023 until the 14th of July 2023. The accused are warned to be back in court on the 19th of June 2023. Accused number 6 and 18 are expected back in court next week Wednesday for clarification of particulars. It was indicated that the particulars need to be verified for the defence and the date is given the opportunity for them to reply,” says Magistrate Dion Van Rooyen.
Bongo claims the state is not ready for trial, and that the case is politically motivated.
“They say they are ready but they are postponing. It is one thing to say we are ready and one thing to postpone to June next year. You might have heard from the legal representative until Friday. So they don’t want Friday and what is required from the state is further particulars with regards to accused number six and eighteen. It means if they were ready they were just supposed to go to page 17 or 18. But for them to still [verify] particulars of a case that was concluded in 2012 it clearly shows that it is an abuse of this institution like I said that these institutions are abused for political reasons,” Bongo explains.
Step aside
Bongo, who has stepped aside due to the criminal case, weighs in on the ANC’s topical rule.
“The issue of the step aside is unfair. It is unconstitutional. The ANC can have a law for ANC members and a law for the country. The law of the country says everyone is innocent until proven guilty. The law of the step aside is saying everyone is guilty until everyone goes to court to prove themselves which is not consistent and in line with the Constitution of South Africa,” Bongo laments.
The trial has been set from June 19th to the 14th of July 2023.
VIDEO: Former Intelligence Minister Bongani Bongo claims state not ready to proceed as trial is postponed
