TUESDAY, 5.00PM:
GAUTENG attorney-general Jan D’Oliveira’s office announced on Tuesday that an eight-month investigation into allegations of fraud and corruption against deputy parliamentary speaker Baleka Mbete-Kgositsile by the police commercial crime unit in Nelspruit had failed to produce sufficient evidence for a criminal prosecution.
The investigation followed Mbete-Kgositsile’s receipt of fraudulent learner’s and driver’s licences from Mpumalanga traffic officials in 1996.
African Eye News Service reports that senior state advocate Rachelle van der Walt said on Tuesday that there is no way the state will be able to prove either fraud or corruption against Mbete-Kgositsile. She added, however, that she has instructed police to compile new dockets on other players in the incident, including the provincial traffic chief, Henry Brazer.
“While there is absolutely nothing against Mbete-Kgositsile, there were other people involved and the police are now looking into their roles for possible prosecution,” Van Der Walt said.
Mpumalanga dafety and security MEC Steve Mabona was forced to resign for his part in the scandal, but Brazer and his former departmental superior, Advocate Stanley Soko, were reinstated to their posts in December after being suspended on suspicion of misconduct.