The Butterworth Magistrate’s Court yesterday referred the case against ANC Amathole regional secretary Teris Ntutu to a regional court and no longer the high court.
This means he faces a lesser sentence if found guilty on charges of corruption and money laundering. The state yesterday said the death of accused number one and two, Mnquma municipality’s Sindile Tantsi and businessman Sive Nombembe, who were burnt beyond recognition in separate car accidents, caused the penalties to be scaled down.
Ntutu was charged under Section 26 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act of 2004, which carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment in the high court. He still faces the same charges, but in a lower regional court, which is mandated to hand down a fine or imprisonment not exceeding 18 years.
The politician appeared in court yesterday alongside two co-accused, KwaZulu-Natal businessman Regis Masuku and Mnquma local municipality asset manager Zanele Mbewu.
The three face charges relating to an alleged R10-million black refuse bag tender the insolvent Butterworth-based municipality awarded Nombembe last year.
Addressing the court yesterday, state prosecuting advocate Diniso Ketani told presiding magistrate Lundi Qangule that a regional court trial date would be decided on February 23.
It is the state’s case that soon after the tender was awarded to Nombembe, he made cash deposits of R235000 into Ntutu’s account, R185000 into Nombewu’s account and R650000 into Masuku’s account.
Ntutu denied that the money was a kickback, insisting it was a donation for his boxing business. However, he paid it back last month with interest. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
Teris trial downgraded to regional penalties
This means he faces a lesser sentence if found guilty on charges of corruption and money laundering. The state yesterday said the death of accused number one and two, Mnquma municipality’s Sindile Tantsi and businessman Sive Nombembe, who were burnt beyond recognition in separate car accidents, caused the penalties to be scaled down.
Ntutu was charged under Section 26 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act of 2004, which carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment in the high court. He still faces the same charges, but in a lower regional court, which is mandated to hand down a fine or imprisonment not exceeding 18 years.
The politician appeared in court yesterday alongside two co-accused, KwaZulu-Natal businessman Regis Masuku and Mnquma local municipality asset manager Zanele Mbewu.
The three face charges relating to an alleged R10-million black refuse bag tender the insolvent Butterworth-based municipality awarded Nombembe last year.
Addressing the court yesterday, state prosecuting advocate Diniso Ketani told presiding magistrate Lundi Qangule that a regional court trial date would be decided on February 23.
It is the state’s case that soon after the tender was awarded to Nombembe, he made cash deposits of R235000 into Ntutu’s account, R185000 into Nombewu’s account and R650000 into Masuku’s account.
Ntutu denied that the money was a kickback, insisting it was a donation for his boxing business. However, he paid it back last month with interest. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
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