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Mokgoro enquiry hears damning evidence

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The Mokgoro enquiry into fitness to hold office against two suspended NPA senior advocates currently underway in Centurion, south of Pretoria, has heard damning evidence of dodgy deals that blocked probes of foreign bribes.

Special Director for Anti -Corruption Unit within the National Director of Public Prosecuting Authority (NDPP), Chris McAdam told the enquiry about the frustrations he endured in the hands of his superiors during some of his investigations.

Retired Constitutional Court Justice Yvonne Mokgoro is chairing the inquiry into Nomgcobo Jiba and Lawrence Mrwebi’s fitness to hold office.

The enquiry’s second day  heard testimony relating to corrupt activities involving law enforcement agencies. Advocate Chris McAdam testified about rampant interference and bribery involving highly experienced cops in his unit. He says some were deployed to block cases under his investigation.

McAdam told the enquiry his work as a dedicated advocate was tarnished by corrupt elements. South Africa’s arms manufacturer, Denel and Petro SA are implicated in his evidence.

“My concern was that the bribery was the most serious charge. And I stand under correction the amount involved was estimated in the region of $660 million US. So we need to focus on this serious allegations. And a lot of time being given to working with the directors, junior advocates that were made available to you and to take that to just a mere suspicion.”

McAdam has further implicated some local and international companies that he alleged interfered with the probes in order to gain multimillion rands tenders from state owned entities. He says at some stage he was ordered to abandon cases.

“Well as a result of what Advocate Johnson inform me concerning Advocate Jiba’s decision I assumed that my mandate had been terminated as of one October because it was made clear that I immediately hand over files and I was given 24hrs to do that.”

McAdam has fingered among others Advocates Nomgcobo Jiba and Lawrence Mrwebi as some of the people who interfered with his work. He said his reluctance led to some threat to have him transferred to another portfolio while in the middle of some investigation. He responded to questions from evidence leader, Nazreen Bawa.

Adv Bawa: You were then informed by Adv Johnson that you will be transferred?

Adv McAdam: That’s corrected and at that stage I would estimate about 18 investigations.

He says the level of corruption was of an international standard, with companies as far the United Kingdom involved in the foreign bribery scandals.

“The evidence was that a British company had bribed SA government officials to obtain a contact relating to South African state owned enterprise. And again the Irag matter was not an intelligence information. But the Australian police had invited SA to go to Australia to meet with them to reveal the available evidence.”

McAdam testimony lasted for about four hours with legal representatives having to go through tens of thousands of documents containing evidence of dodgy officials meetings among others.

Nine more witnesses are yet to testify before the Mokgoro Enquiry.

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