The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is to appeal the decision of the Western Cape High Court to acquit former State Security minister and African National Congress (ANC) MP Bongani Bongo on corruption charges.
The NPA’s regional communications manager for the Western Cape, Eric Ntabazalila, says the decision was taken after careful consideration of the facts, the law and the legal principles applicable in dealing with applications of this nature.
Bongo was charged following a report by then evidence leader in the parliamentary inquiry into Eskom, Advocate Ntuthuzelo Vanara that Bongo had tried to bribe him to delay or collapse the inquiry.
Granting Bongo’s lawyers application for the case to be dismissed, Western Cape Judge President Judge John Hlophe said that Vanara lacked credibility.
BREAKING NEWS Former State Security Minister Bongani Bongo is found NOT GUILTY of trying to bribe Eskom Inquiry evidence leader Adv Ntuthuzelo Vanara. #sabcnews tt6 pic.twitter.com/jSuTgLOW8D
— Bulelani Phillip (@BulelaniPhillip) February 26, 2021
He said other witnesses called by the state had failed to corroborate his evidence and, in parts, contradicted each other about what he told them.
“The state will request the court to reserve questions of law for the consideration of the Supreme Court of Appeal, as it avers that the trial court misdirected itself on the law related to corruption. The test to be applied when assessing the evidence of witnesses, the drawing of adverse inferences, [and] use of previous consistent statements and the acceptance of the untested version of an accused person,” Ntabazalila explains.
In the video below, former State Security Minister Bongani Bongo has been acquitted from bribery charges:
