The National Prosecuting Authorities (NPA) Investigating Directorate says it expects to re-enroll Eskom’s R2.2 billion Kusile power station corruption case involving former CEO, Matshela Koko.
This comes after the Middelburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court removed Koko’s fraud, corruption and money-laundering case from the roll on Tuesday due to unreasonable delays but emphasised that this does not mean an acquittal or withdrawal of the charges.
NPA spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka says that the Investigating Directorate will continue its investigation in accordance with the original case strategy.
The capacity and resources of the NPA to handle intricate cases are being questioned by Corruption Watch.
Corruption Watch Executive Director Karam Singh says, “I think we have to be worried. How can it be at this moment that where we have made such a significant imbursement in uncovering what happened under State Capture through the look of the Zondo Commission, that we can have a situation where the NPA’s budget now at the moment has budget cuts? We know that the NPA has lost resources, so there is really no excuse in terms of providing the NPA with the appropriate resources.”
Singh says until the NPA is able to successfully prosecute cases related to money laundering and corruption doubts will persist.
NPA says it’s not done with Koko:
Deputy Chief Executive of Labour Relations at Trade Union Solidarity, Deon Reyneke, also slammed the Middelburg Specialized Commercial Crimes Court’s decision.
Reyneke says, “From the beginning we’ve said, every person must have a day in court and Mr Koko must have his day in court. We hope the National Prosecuting Authority is ready and takes this case further. The promise of this is that it was only struck from the roll but the authority will have to write to take it back to the court.”
