Legal Articles and Guides

A shackled Duduzane Zuma appeared in the Johannesburg Commercial Crimes Court yesterday morning. A News24 report says the son of former President Jacob Zuma has been charged with corruption, alternatively conspiracy to commit corruption, relating to an alleged R600m offer made to former Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas in 2015 by Ajay Gupta, in Duduzane's presence.

The state capture about-turn by police and the NPA – evident since the ousting of President Jacob Zuma – will be given impetus today when Zuma's son Duduzane appears in the Specialised Commercial Crime Court over his alleged involvement in the Gupta plot to bribe former Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas, notes Daily News.

A suitcase stuffed with R5m was flown to Johannesburg by helicopter and handed to a Public Investment Corporation (PIC) executive as a bribe from VBS, according to an affidavit by the broke mutual bank’s former head of treasury, Phophi Mukhodobwane. He says he received R10m for his part in defrauding VBS of just over R1.5bn, and spent R6.5m of his windfall on a Ferrari.

Cryptocurrency could be the new best friend for SA kidnappers to extort ransom money. The Star reports this is according to Institute for Security Studies’ Lizette Lancaster, who said the lack of regulation posed a huge challenge as transactions were extremely difficult to monitor.

Former President Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane Zuma has been ordered to appear in court on 12 July to face two charges of culpable homicide related to a 2014 car accident. Zuma’s lawyer, Gary Mazaham, confirmed that he had received the summons‚ but said he was not in a position to comment on whether Zuma would appear in the Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg), says a TimesLIVE report.

Politically-connected businessman Peter-Paul Ngwenya will find out next Thursday whether his application for a discharge from the case he is facing – which revolves around his a fight with Investec CEO designate Fani Titi – has been successful. The Randburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday heard arguments from Ngwenya for a discharge in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act, says a TimesLIVE report.

A more than decade-long fraud and money laundering case against international diamond dealer Sylla Moussa could be nearing its end, with the embattled gem trader filing representations to have the case withdrawn, says a Saturday Star report. Moussa made headlines in 2014 during a legal battle between him and businessman Zunaid Moti. Both were claiming ownership of a pink diamond worth more than $50m (R673m).

The Constitutional Court has confirmed a High Court order that a section of the Criminal Procedure Act which imposes a 20-year limit on prosecution for sexual assault is unconstitutional, notes a TimesLIVE report. Only rape survivors have been able to lay criminal charges after the 20-year limitation‚ which this precedent-setting judgment will alter in future.

An advocate with years of experience in environmental matters has thrown her hat into the ring to ensure the successful prosecution of two men who filmed themselves stabbing and beating a seal pup, says a HeraldLIVE report. Advocate and former specialist environmental prosecutor Yvette Isaacs said she would be performing a watching brief role in the case to ensure the prosecution of the men.

The courts are taking a tough stance on drivers involved in fatal car crashes, says a report in The Star. An allegedly drunk motorist is set to go on trial for four counts of murder following the deaths of four children after the car he was driving plunged into them. Lazarus Malatjie also faces charges of reckless and negligent driving and drunk driving.

The NPA has decided to prosecute former Hawks head Mthandazo Ntlemeza’s daughter, Anele Ntlemeza, a cluster co-ordinator at SAPS Crime Intelligence in Polokwane, with crimen injuria and intimidation after she threatened to kill a colleague who had opened a case against her father, says a Daily Maverick report.

Two alleged Ponzi scheme masterminds, accused of taking 'unlawful deposits' from about 3 300 people, appeared in the Durban Commercial Crimes Court yesterday, notes News24. Fakazile Mazibuko, of Ladysmith, and Wilson Gazu, of Newcastle, appeared before Magistrate Christobelle Mazibuko for what the state charges was a 'get-rich-quick' scheme, the financial extent of which was more than R64m.

Axe murderer Henri van Breda has been sentenced to three life sentences for the murder of three of his family members, 15 years for the attempted murder of his sister, and one year for obstructing the course of justice. The sentences will run concurrently, says News24.

The SCA has dismissed an application by convicted coffin assault pair Willem Oosthuizen and Theo Jackson to be released on bail pending their leave to appeal their convictions and sentences, notes News24. There were no reasonable prospects of success and there was no other compelling reason why an appeal should be heard, the SCA ruled on Friday.

Three Eastern Cape traditional fishers scored a victory when the SCA found that they were exercising their customary right to fish in a marine protected area. A Cape Times report says the fishers had been arrested in 2010 for fishing in a marine protected area inside the Dwesa-Cwebe Reserve and were found guilty of fishing unlawfully in a marine protected area (MPA) without permits.