Bishop’s sentencing postponed

THE sentencing of a well-known Port Elizabeth church leader convicted of corruption charges involving R3 million was halted in the Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes Court yesterday. Bishop Samuel Banzana was earlier found guilty of soliciting bribes from a construction company to award it tenders for building hundreds of low-cost RDP houses. Defence advocate Tom Langenhoven asked the court for time so that a probation officer could conduct an investigation and compile a report on the contributions made in Bazana’s household. At the time of the crimes, between 2004 and 2009, Banzana was the manager of the Mzingisi Development Trust, which ANC veteran Govan Mbeki had founded. The trust builds RDP houses in impoverished areas which included Soweto on Sea, Veeplaas, Westview and Bethelsdorp. The Asset Forfeiture Unit had since seized Banzana’s home and three luxury cars worth R2.9 million in total. The case was postponed to September 14 for the probation officer’s report. – ANA