Former African National Congress chief whip Tony Yengeni was on Friday found not guilty on a drunken-driving charge by the Goodwood Magistrate’s Court.
He appeared before Magistrate Ricardo Phillips, who granted an application for Yengeni’s acquittal and discharge, launched by the defence team’s senior counsel, Dirk Uijs, and attorney Mario Wilker.
Phillips agreed that due to the poor manner in which the case had been investigated, Yengeni did not have a case to meet.
Two arresting police officers had unlawfully obeyed instructions from the then-commander at the Goodwood police station, senior superintendent Siphiwo Hewana, to ”orchestrate an advantage favourable to the accused”. This amounted to defeating the ends of justice.
The judgement was delivered during the lunch hour. Yengeni supporters seated in the gallery clapped loudly when the magistrate informed Yengeni that he was free to go. — Sapa