Bribery in city courts claim
FOUR prosecutors are being investigated in connection with a multimillion-rand “bribery racket,” that Durban businessman and convicted fraudster Visham Panday claims is operating in the city’s courts.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) yesterday confirmed that its Integrity Management Unit was conducting internal investigations in respect of the matter. Spokesperson Luvuyo Mfaku would not divulge any further details about the probe.
But in an affidavit he deposed to investigators, Panday said he gave one prosecutor millions of rand. This, he said, when the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) were investigating his brother, Thoshan Panday.
“(The prosecutor) gave me access to dockets which contained information which was helpful to my brother and I. In return, he demanded money; he said this was for ‘the chief ’,” Panday said.
He said: “Over a period of about six months in 2011, I gave (him) about R2.5 million in cash. This was done in about six tranches… The money would be placed in plastic bags or shoe boxes which I carried in a shoulder bag”.
Panday also said he gave the prosecutor expensive jewels for him and one of his superiors.
“(He) had enquired from me what business I was engaged in. I told him I was involved in the petroleum, diamond and property sectors. He told me that he wanted diamonds… I purchased three diamonds from a business associate… I paid R3m for the three diamonds which I then gave to (him). This was in addition to all the cash payments I gave to him,” he said.
Panday claimed a friend of his gave the same prosecutor R400 000 to drop a murder charge against one of his employees. He also accused the prosecutor and one of his colleagues of being involved in various other shady deals.
Panday said he initially thought “it would be best to let sleeping dogs lie, figuratively speaking”.
But last year, he met another prosecutor. This in connection with a case of theft of a motor vehicle, in which he was the complainant.
Panday claimed that prosecutor also asked him for money, “a nice brown bag – about R150 000”.
“I ignored him,” Panday said.
After his case was then thrown out, he said, he decided to report his experiences.
“I admit that I have done wrong in the past… What has prompted me to now take action is the failure to prosecute my case (theft) and let criminals walk free”.
The NPA yesterday referred queries about any criminal charges in connection with Panday’s claims, to the Hawks.
Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said they had no knowledge of the matter.