The NPA’s Investigating Directorate (ID) announced on Thursday that it had referred a complaint to the Magistrates' Commission, asking it to investigate whether Stanley Jacobs, the magistrate in the former Eskom boss Matshela Koko's corruption matter, had had a conflict of interest.
In November last year, Jacobs, at the Middelburg specialised commercial crimes court, struck Koko's fraud, corruption and money-laundering case from the roll due to “unreasonable delay”.
The matter involves charges of corruption in a R2.2bn control and instrumentation tender won by Zabb, the local division of the Swedish-Swiss firm ABB.
Koko, who was Eskom group CEO at the time, is alleged to have played a vital role in the awarding of contracts to Impulse International, ABB and other subcontractors.
The ID said in the weeks after Jacobs' decision media published articles alluding to allegations that Jacobs had had business dealings with Eskom since 2014.
“The NPA’s Investigating Directorate conducted an investigation, which included engaging with the Special Investigating Unit, and confirmed that there was merit in the allegations aired in the media about a possible conflict of interest by the said magistrate,” said ID spokesperson Henry Mamothame.
He said that, as a result, the ID had referred the matter to the commission for further investigation.
“The NPA remains confident in the strength of its case and the expertise of its prosecution team. It will re-enrol the matter shortly,” Mamothame said.
TimesLIVE
ID refers Matshela Koko magistrate for investigation over possible conflict
Magistrate Stanley Jacobs struck the former Eskom CEO's matter off the roll
Image: Thapelo Morebudi
The NPA’s Investigating Directorate (ID) announced on Thursday that it had referred a complaint to the Magistrates' Commission, asking it to investigate whether Stanley Jacobs, the magistrate in the former Eskom boss Matshela Koko's corruption matter, had had a conflict of interest.
In November last year, Jacobs, at the Middelburg specialised commercial crimes court, struck Koko's fraud, corruption and money-laundering case from the roll due to “unreasonable delay”.
The matter involves charges of corruption in a R2.2bn control and instrumentation tender won by Zabb, the local division of the Swedish-Swiss firm ABB.
Koko, who was Eskom group CEO at the time, is alleged to have played a vital role in the awarding of contracts to Impulse International, ABB and other subcontractors.
The ID said in the weeks after Jacobs' decision media published articles alluding to allegations that Jacobs had had business dealings with Eskom since 2014.
“The NPA’s Investigating Directorate conducted an investigation, which included engaging with the Special Investigating Unit, and confirmed that there was merit in the allegations aired in the media about a possible conflict of interest by the said magistrate,” said ID spokesperson Henry Mamothame.
He said that, as a result, the ID had referred the matter to the commission for further investigation.
“The NPA remains confident in the strength of its case and the expertise of its prosecution team. It will re-enrol the matter shortly,” Mamothame said.
TimesLIVE
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