Rambau’s corruption case takes interesting turn

The criminal case against a senior regional magistrate from Makhado (Louis Trichardt) took an interesting turn this week.

Magistrate Ronnie Rambau had to face the charge of corruption against him alone. He appeared in the Messina Magistrate’s Court on Monday, without his co-accused, ex-prosecutor Estene Willemse and attorney Tivoneleni Edmond Lubisi. All three are currently facing charges of corruption and conspiracy to commit corruption. They were arrested in February 2010 during a police trap.

During the State’s case against the three men, evidence was provided in the form of telephone records that the SAPS had intercepted during their investigation. This evidence revealed how the three men had allegedly worked together to influence the outcome of court cases. Lubisi would allegedly contact Willemse if he had a “client” who was willing to pay to have his case disappear. They would then quibble about their “cut of the deal”, after which Willemse would phone Rambau to tell him that he had an early case to attend to the following day. Rambau would then - for a fee - either dismiss the case or just let it slip through the cracks.

On Monday, bench warrants for the arrest of both Lubisi and Willemse were issued after they failed to appear in court.

These latest developments in Rambau’s case are described, in the law enforcement world, as one of many delaying tactics. Even the South African Parliament’s Select Committee for Security and Justice, when addressed earlier this year by the Magistrate’s Commission, expressed their “particular concern” about the matter.

Rambau and his co-accused’s case has faced several postponements in the past as well. Lubisi and Willemse have, in the meantime, started conducting their own defences. Rambau himself has changed lawyers on more than one occasion,  delaying procedures even further.

On 9 April last year, Rambau also asked the presiding magistrate to withdraw from the trial. Rambau claimed that the magistrate had befriended some of the state witnesses and that this could have a negative influence on the outcome of his trial.

When the magistrate rejected his application, Rambau turned to the High Court, who also rejected his application to have the presiding magistrate withdraw from the case. If the High Court had granted Rambau’s application, it would have seen his whole trial start afresh.

During his court appearance on Monday, Rambau and his attorney were present, and it was expected that the case would proceed. It was anticipated that Rambau would start testifying, since the State had already closed its case on 17 October 2011.

On Tuesday, Lubisi and Willemse were located. Willemse provided a sick note, and his warrant was cancelled. Lubisi, on the other hand, will have to appear in court again on 2 September to explain his absence. Failing which, he will be arrested and his bail retracted.

All three men are expected to appear in court again next year on 2 February, when the corruption trial is expected to continue for the whole week.

Date:22 August 2014

By: Isabel Venter

Isabel joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in 2009 as a reporter. She holds a BA Degree in Communication Sciences from the University of South Africa. Her beat is mainly crime and court reporting.

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