Team’s work on graft cases under scrutiny

Justice Department to meet Scopa over its concerns on numbers

THE DEPARTMENT of Justice has agreed to meet the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) to look at its concerns over the number of plea bargains in corruption cases investigated by the Anti-Corruption Task Team (ACTT).

The National Prosecuting Authority told Scopa yesterday that out of 42 corruption and fraud cases probed by the ACTT, 41 were settled on plea bargains.

This raised the ire of Scopa, which called for tough action against criminals who have been involved in serious commercial crimes amounting to millions of rand.

Department of Justice director-general Vusi Madonsela said he was concerned that Scopa felt work done by the ACTT was an anticlimax with the 41 plea bargains.

However, there was room for both Scopa and the Justice Department, with the ACTT, to discuss these matters and how to resolve them.

“I am concerned you feel this is a bit of an anticlimax. In our justice system there is a place for pleas and plea bargains. What we should talk about is whether in the system there are minimums,” said Madonsela.

Scopa chairperson Themba Godi said the committee was raising real concerns.

He said the department and the ACTT appeared not to have been concerned until alerted by Scopa.

“On the issues you are raising, we are not blinded by emotions. The things you are suggesting are not part of your presentation. It’s as if we have woken you up.

“For me, that is where the disappointment is. You need to be proactive rather than you can move to the extent you are pushed,” said Godi.

ANC MP Saki Kekana said they were concerned about high levels of corruption in the country.

He said they were disappointed the law enforcement agencies were sending out a wrong message that the government was on top of the situation on corruption.

Kekana said the public wanted assurance and certainty from the government that it was cracking down on crime and corruption.

He said the public perception was that the government was soft on crime.

David Ross of the DA said the party was alarmed about the plea bargains, and the government would have to consider how this was done.

Ntombovuyo Mente of the EFF said she understood the issue of plea bargains, but the principle was to fight crime.

She said the government could not fight corruption when it negotiated with the same criminals on their convictions and sentences.

Mente said these were the same criminals who had robbed poor people of millions of rand in fraud and corruption.

‘THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT FIGHT CORRUPTION WHEN IT NEGOTIATES WITH THE PERPETRATORS’