NPA serves Joe Sibanyoni’s prosecutor with suspension

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed on Tuesday morning that it has served Mkhulise Ntaba with a suspension letter.

This comes after the extortion case that he was prosecuting against Mpumalanga taxi boss Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni, Bafana Sindane, Mvimbi Masilela and Philemon Msiza was struck off the roll on Monday due to his non-appearance.

Sibanyoni and his co-accused were charged with extortion and money laundering. They were accused of extorting R2.2m from a business man from 2022 to 2025.

“They met with him [Ntaba] and gave him a letter of suspension in hand,” said NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.

Kganyago said the head office will on Tuesday afternoon receive a report from the Mpumalanga public prosecution office on the reasons Ntaba did not show up in court on Monday for Sibanyoni’s case.

Ntaba on Friday told the magistrate that he would not be able to appear in court on Monday, and suggested that the matter sit on Tuesday instead.

Despite his request, chief magistrate Tuletu Tonjeni, who presided over the bail application, insisted that he should make an appearance on Monday.

On Monday after midday, Shaun Abrahams SC, who was representing Sibanyoni, applied for the court to find Ntaba in contempt of the court order.

He also asked for the matter to be struck off the court’s roll.

Tonjeni ruled in Abrahams’s favour.

“I will authorise his warrant of arrest. Also, the court will report his conduct to the LPC (Legal Practice Council) and his seniors at the NPA,” she said, adding she was striking the matter off the roll.

“I think this is a classic case of undue delay of proceedings, and I am inclined therefore to strike the matter off the roll in terms of section 342A sub section 3C.”

Sowetan