Mogoeng challenges those with corruption claims to come forward
Mogoeng, who received documentation suspected to finger some form of corruption from a businessman who attended his briefing, said valid evidence to expose corruption would assist in clamping down on it.
Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng has challenged the public for proof of any corruption levelled against the judiciary. Mogoeng, alongside heads of court judges Dunstan Mlambo and C Musi, said the judiciary had noted allegations levelled against it on social media alleging corruption within the judiciary.
Justice Mogoeng was addressing the media in Midrand, Johannesburg, on Friday afternoon. He said his office had asked national police commissioner General Kehla Sitole to use relevant capacities at his disposal to “uncover the real forces behind the masks who are making apparently gratuitous allegations of corruption or capture against the judiciary”.
Mogoeng maintains it is part of police protocol to investigate.
The judiciary is not in the field of investigations, the police are, he said.
Answering to allegations made at the commission of inquiry into state capture that there are judges who “were captured”, Mogoeng said sufficient evidence was needed to back up the allegations.
“They must provide proof, of who has been captured, names of judges involved in wrongdoing, how and even proof of payment made.”
He said they must also be prepared to testify.
Mogoeng assumes that any allegation made against any judge should have sufficient evidence.
“Only a sworn enemy of our constitutional democracy would make allegations so grave against the judiciary without the evidence to back them up.”
He maintains fake accounts undermining the country or judiciary need to be unearthed.
Recently, a “list” was making the rounds on social media alleging some judges had benefited from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s CR17 campaign funds.
“Tell us which judge has been captured or corrupted, and by whom. If money or any benefit was given, for how much? When? And produce verifiable documentary or electronic proof,” Mogoeng said.
He added judiciary spokesperson Nathi Mncube had shown him a tweet of someone who claimed to have informed him that certain judges in the Free State had allegedly been captured by ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule and that he had not acted upon it.
“I have never received that information. I have been assured by all the provincial leaders of colleagues against whom disturbing allegations of corruption and capture have been made that those allegations are false,” Mogoeng said.
“In the absence of concrete proof … I believe my colleagues. Everybody with evidence to support these damaging allegations that any judge is corrupt or has been captured must stop hiding behind fictional identities … please make your true identity and contact details are known to us and the South African public.”
In other news – Robert Mugabe to be buried in 30 days: family
Former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe will be buried at Heroes’ Acre in 30 days, this is according to his nephew Leo Mugabe. The junior Mugabe briefed journalists on the development at the former statesman’s Blue Roof mansion in Harare on Friday. Mugabe died at the age of 95 at a Singaporean hospital. His remains returned to Zimbabwe on Wednesday and have been lying in state at Rufaro stadium.
There has been tension between his family members and the Zimbabwean government over where the former leader should be laid to rest, with some from the Mugabe family saying he wanted to be laid to rest in his home village of Zvimba. He will be buried as a chief. He is going to Zvimba so the people of Zvimba can pay their last respects,” said Mugabe junior. continue reading
Source: TheCitizen
