By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
Judge Who Heard ECL Case Embroiled in Corruption Allegations Again
A High Court Judge, Aubrey Ledwaba who presided over a South African High Court case regarding the burial of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu has been accused of corruption again.
An explosive allegation was made at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that a R2.5 million bribe was paid to secure bail for murder-accused Katiso “KT” Molefe, with some reports linking Acting Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba to the claims.
Ledwaba has since strongly denied receiving any money and has asked for an opportunity to present his side of the story to the commission.
He has been accused of corruption in previous instances.
Chief Justice of South Africa is Mandisa Maya has been forced to respond;
“This testimony, an allegation yet to be tested and proved at this stage, still has the potential of damaging the integrity of the Judiciary and we reiterate a plea which the Judiciary has issued on numerous previous occasions – that any person who has evidence of a Judge’s promptly lodge a complaint against that Judge with the Judicial Conduct misconduct must
Committee (JCC) of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).”
“The JSC is the constitutional
body with the lawful mandate to investigate any alleged misconduct by a Judge and, in terms of the provisions o he Judicial Service Commission Act 9 of 1994, recommend the
suspension of the Judge to the President who is the functionary with the power to suspend a Judge in terms of the Constitution.”
In April 2021, while being interviewed for a position on the Supreme Court of Appeal, Ledwaba was questioned by the Judicial Service Commission about his decision in 2019 to seal President Cyril Ramaphosa’s CR17 campaign bank records.
Ledwaba, then the Deputy Judge President, granted Ramaphosa’s request to keep the bank statements sealed from the public.
Former President Jacob Zuma and other critics suggested this decision helped hide alleged “bribes” and fostered a narrative of “judicial capture”.
In Zambia, a recording emerged of President Hakainde Hichilema’s associate, an expelled member of parliament for Mafinga Constituency in the north of the country,Robert Chabinga, who government has made and recognised as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and as Acting President of the largest opposition party in Zambia, was caught in a recording with a Cabinet Minister stating that he had traveled to South Africa to among other things, bribe the judges handling the matter regarding the disputed burial of Zambia’s Sixth President, Edgar Chagwa Lungu.
It is unkown if the lawyers for the Lungu family of the late President pursued the corruption allegations against Judge Ledwaba.
He ruled against the family twice.