Top WC judge shocked at ‘hit’ reports
Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe is said to be shocked by media reports implicating him in an alleged ordered assassination attempt of Deputy Judge President Patricia Goliath.
This following two media reports since Friday, which state that a Judicial Inspectorate of Correctional Services (JICS) report was sent to the ministry of justice, claiming an alleged plot on Goliath’s life shouldn’t be dismissed and warranted further investigation.
GroundUp reported on Friday that a report was handed to the minister of justice that a senior judge may have ordered the assassination of another judge.
According to the publication, which did not name the judges, the allegation was made by an awaiting-trial prisoner.
The Daily Maverick on Saturday named the judges as Hlophe and Goliath – who are presently the subjects of a bitter gross misconduct complaint laid against Hlophe before the Judicial Service Committee (JSC).
“Our client was shocked by the publications by the various media houses, as the averments are baseless and false,” a brief statement by Hlophe’s lawyer, Barnabas Xulu, said on Sunday.
“We will attend to consultation with our client during the week and will thereafter respond comprehensively to the allegations as contained in the publications.”
According to the JICS report, the allegation was that the senior judge allegedly contracted two men to assassinate his colleague through a third party.
A total of R3 million was “promised for the hit”, but although it was nearly carried out, it was called off.
The would-be assassins still demanded money, and were allegedly paid R200 000.
Goliath confirmed to Daily Maverick that, on 3 June this year, she had been advised that a prisoner had called the office of the Grahamstown Bar and had informed them a “hit” had been placed on her life by another judge.
She, however, could not go into further details.
The justice department and the office of the chief justice did not immediately confirm receipt of the report. – News24 Wire