Louis Cason outside Cape Town Magistrate’s Court. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers
Cape Town - The charges against a City of Cape Town staffer arrested for allegedly refusing to hand over electronic devices requested by police during the raid at DA mayco members JP Smith and Xanthea Limberg’s offices have been withdrawn due to insufficient evidence.
SAPS spokesperson, Andrè Traut, said the raid related to an investigation into the construction mafia and tender fraud in the metro.
The City staffer, Louis Cason, allegedly refused to hand over the electronic devices requested by the SAPS Provincial Commercial Crimes detectives on Friday.
He was spotted sitting outside the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court courtroom on Monday, where throughout the day, a number of cases were heard for bail information and first appearances for people accused of various crimes. State prosecutor, Washeema Wakefield, noted that there were 63 first appearances for the day in court 14.
The City staffer entered the court room a few times awaiting to hear if he would have his first appearance, but ultimately the matter was withdrawn. His attorney also left the court after lunch had been called.When the staffer finally left the court late in the afternoon, he chose not to speak to the media.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said: “I can confirm that the matter was not enrolled as charges were withdrawn. There was insufficient evidence to secure any conviction on the matter.”
The raid comes as former City of Cape Town mayco member for Human Settlements, Malusi Booi, appears in court alongside seven others on charges of fraud and corruption linked to a tender case within the City.
The group faces 15 charges, including several counts of corruption, racketeering, intimidation, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit fraud. The alleged leader of the 28s, Ralph Stanfield, and his wife, Nicole Johnson, are linked to the case.
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