Bongani Bongo’s corruption case sent back to high court for new trial

• Published date: 07 May 2024
• Publication title: Herald, The (Port Elizabeth, South Africa)

The appellate court sent Bongo’s case back to the high court for a new trial before a differently constituted court

It found if mistakes of law had not been made, the trial court would have found there was sufficient evidence to convict Bongo.

The state had charged Bongo with corruption, alleging that in 2017 Bongo wrongfully and intentionally offered gratification to parliament’s Eskom inquiry evidence leader, Ntuthuzelo John Vanara.

Bongo pleaded not guilty to the main count of corruption and two alternative counts of corruption.

At the end of the state’s case, Bongo applied for a discharge.

Former judge-president John Hlophe granted the discharge in February 2021.

The state applied to reserve six questions of law for consideration by the SCA.

The high court refused that application, prompting the state to petition the president of the SCA.

The SCA said the trial court found that Vanara’s testimony was not credible in material respects and, being a single witness, the trial court was...