Chief magistrate in the dock over security kickbacks

A chief magistrate at the Pretoria magistrate’s court is accused of receiving kickbacks worth R200,000 of security upgrades to his home from African Global Operations, formerly known as Bosasa, in exchange for acting in a dishonest manner.  

On Monday, chief magistrate Desmond Nair appeared at the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on charges of corruption.

NPA Investigating Directorate spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka said Nair stands accused of having received gratification in the form of a number of security systems in September 2016 at his Pretoria Silverton home.

In the charge sheet, the state alleges that Nair was granted the upgrades for his influence to act in a dishonest or improper manner.

''In that on or about September 2016 and at or near Silverton, Pretoria in the Regional Division of North Gauteng, the accused, being a judicial officer, unlawfully and intentionally accepted, and/or agreed to and/or offered to, accept any gratification, namely an electric fence, an alarm system, perimeter beams and a CCTV system from African Global Operations and/or Global Technology Systems, whether for the benefit of himself or of another person, in order to act, personally or by influencing another person so to act, in a manner that is illegal and/or dishonest and/or unauthorised; and/or constitutes the abuse of a position of authority and/or a breach of trust and/or the violation of a legal duty or a set of rules and/or is designed to achieve an unjustified result and/or that constitutes unauthorised or improper inducement,’’ read the charge sheet.

The matter was postponed to December 7 for the defence to make representations. 

kokam@sowetan.co.za