Idac must not falter in high-stakes corruption case

National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola. Picture: Gallo Images/Frennie Shivambu The arrest of 12 high-ranking police officers and their appearance in court over their alleged criminal conduct in the awarding of the now infamous R360 million health services tender to businessmanVusimuzi “Cat” Matlalawas met with a lot of genuine applause from South Africans who are tired of the blatant and unashamed looting of public funds. What makes this case worse is that those who enabled the looting are the very people that citizens expect to uphold the law and ensure that anyone who does wrong is jailed.

Since they are cops, they are automatically held to a higher standard or should be. The only risk to this exceptional work is the very real possibility the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), through the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac), could bungle the case in court. The scariest part of that possibility becoming a reality is that the bungling could even appear deliberate.

This is not an accusation that the NPA bungles cases on purpose, but a realistic view based on what the prosecuting entity has done in the past in very high-profile corruption cases. Following the arrest and appearance of the high-ranking cops in court, a rather suspicious message was put out that national police commissioner General FannieMasemola has been “summoned to appear in court”. Initially, it was not made clear whether he is being added to the 12 or whether he is appearing in court for having colluded with the 12.

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It was clarified later that his charge will be with regards to having not performed his duties as an accounting officer the way the Public Finance Management Act says he should. The timing of the release of the details about the national police commissioner makes it impossible for the public not to lump him with the cops charged for aiding Matlala.

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