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Judge Makhubele expected to answer to allegations of corruption at Prasa

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Controversial Judge Tintswalo Makhubele is yet again expected to appear before the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture in Johannesburg on Monday morning.

Various witnesses have implicated her in alleged corruption at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa).

Makhubele failed to appear before the Commission in July.

She had sent her legal representatives to request a postponement after citing reasons including her car losing control due to a tyre puncture.

The Commission’s chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, had expressed concern about the reasons for seeking the postponement, saying the judge had several months to prepare.

“With regards to the issue of how she may have been affected by the incident, I understand her position. She had a tyre puncture last night and not enough information is placed before me to reach a final conclusion. But the fact of the matter is that she is not here and faced with the situation that we are faced with, I have postponed the hearing,” explains Zondo.

In the video below, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo expresses his dissatisfaction over Judge Tintswalo Makhubele’s absence at the State Capture:

Last week, the Commission heard evidence from former Police Minister Nathi Nhleko.

Nhleko told the commission that when he commissioned Werksmans Attorney to look into the matter of rendition of five Zimbabwean citizens in 2010, he was seeking to find out if there had been any misconduct by members of the Hawks.

He says he sought the assistance of the law firm after finding out that there were two reports by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) on the matter with differing conclusions as to whether Anwar Dramat and Shadrack Sibiya should be prosecuted.

In April 2019, former Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) head Robert McBride told the Commission that Nhleko illegally suspended him and former Hawks Head Anwar Dramat and two of his colleagues Shadrack Sibiya and Lesley Maluleke for their involvement in the rendition.

Werksmans Attorneys’ Sandile July explains why he recommended charges against IPID officials

Meanwhile, Sandile July of Werksmans Attorneys has explained to the Commission why he recommended that one of three Ipid officials involved in the production of two reports be charged for defeating the ends of justice.

The reports reached different conclusions about whether they should be prosecuted.

There have been claims that the reports were used to purge top Hawks members during the President Jacob Zuma era.

Below is July’s testimony at the State Capture Commission: 

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