“Juju” as Malema is known, is the president of Economic Freedom Fighter who is to face the “Bulldog” Gerrie Nel, following confirmation that Afriforum is ready to pursue a private prosecution against Malema for corruption and fraud charges.
The case stems from a tender won by On Point Engineering to advise the Limpopo government on infrastructure projects. Malema was a director of On Point but later resigned.
Nel‚ who famously grilled Oscar Pistorius during his murder trial‚ will lead the private prosecution. He said the original Malema indictment contained two charges of racketeering‚ five corruption charges‚ four fraud charges and 40 counts of contravention of Section 6 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
“If the NPA did their job‚ we would not come into the picture. Mr Malema cannot cry…We will continue taking him on without apologising for it‚” said AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel.
Charges against Malema and his co-accused were struck off the roll on August 4 2015.
His co-accused was said to be ill at the time.
AfriForum has now indicated to the National Prosecuting Authority that it wants to privately prosecute Malema if the NPA decides not to go ahead with the case.
“We are planning to prosecute Mr Malema on charges of corruption and fraud. If somebody portrays himself as somebody that fights for the poor‚ when such a person goes and steals taxpayers’ money…we believe such a person should be held accountable. That is why we are going ahead with this case‚” Kriel said.
Dali Mpofu, EFF’s national chairman was quoted that there was no legal basis for AfriForum’s action against Malema. He dismissed it as nothing more than a “political tantrum” in response to the EFF’s land expropriation drive.
With national elections nearing a lot is going to unfold, we await as it does…
