KZN businessman, senior cop charged with
trying to bribe Hawks boss
2016-09-02
17:38
Jeff Wicks, News24
Thoshan Panday (City
Press)
Pretoria - Controversial Umhlanga businessman Thoshan Panday and
police officer Colonel Navin Madhoe have been charged with corruption for
allegedly attempting to bribe suspended KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Johan Booysen.
In Booysen's own protracted court battles, he has insisted that he
was side-lined for pursuing criminal prosecutions against Panday, who was
described as "politically connected".
In the lead-up to the 2010 Soccer World Cup, Panday and his
companies had raked in millions in procurement contracts, which had been
facilitated by Madhoe and Captain Aswin Narainpershad, who worked in the
police's Supply Chain Management Unit.
According to a statement released by the National Prosecuting
Authority on Friday, National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Shaun
Abrahams had decided to institute the criminal prosecution against Madhoe and
Panday.
"The charges relate to an incident where former KwaZulu-Natal
head of the Hawks, Genaral Johan Booysen, was offered in excess of R1m to
backdate a report relating to the investigation about irregular procurement
processes in respect of accommodation during the 2010 World Cup.
"Colonel Madhoe wanted General Booyen to backdate the report
in order for same to be regarded as inadmissible during subsequent litigation
process," it reads.
"The DPP KZN had previously declined to prosecute in this
matter; however, the NDPP reviewed the matter in terms of Section 179 (5) (d)
of the Constitution.
"The accused and their legal representatives have been
advised of the NDPP’s decision. The accused will appear in the Durban Regional
Court on a date agreed upon by the DPP KZN and the legal representatives of the
accused."
Panday, Madhoe and Narainpershad have also been asked for
representations by Abrahams relating to irregular procurement during the World
Cup.
The DPP in KwaZUlu-Natal had also declined to prosecute them in
the past.
"The NDPP has prescribed the 16th September 2016 as a
deadline for the submission of the representations. A decision in respect of
this matter will be taken after receipt of the said representations should the
suspects avail themselves of this opportunity," it reads.
