Sars’ officials bugging case put on hold

The state’s case against three former South African Revenue Service (Sars) officials has been postponed to February next year to allow for the new National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi to review the decision to prosecute.

“The matter was postponed to give the NDPP sufficient time to consider very lengthy recommendations from my clients,” attorney Bernard Hotz said yesterday.

“A complete story has been told with enough evidence. I can tell you, the representations to be considered are 4 000 pages with annexures. This is simply to afford the NDPP’s office time to consider these representations.”

Former Sars deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay and former enforcement executives Johann van Loggerenberg and Andries Janse van Rensburg are charged with offences relating to the bugging of the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) offices in 2007.

In what became known as the “Sunday Evenings” project, the three allegedly installed covert bugs in 2007 at the then-Scorpions and NPA head offices in Pretoria.

Fin24 reported the installations were conducted by suspended Sars employee Helgard Lombard, who turned state witness in the case.

The case against the three was opened in March last year by axed Sars commissioner Tom Moyane.

City Press newspaper reported on Sunday that the NPA was probably going to drop the matter.

According to the report, Batohi was expected to consider the recommendations of a review panel which looked into the prospect of success in the case. – News24 Wire