TRAVELGATE: MORE MPs ADMIT GUILT

Fabulous - they have stolen from the tax payer, they have been caught and now have to pay fines. In both cases the fines are a great deal less than what was stolen - surely they should also be paying back the money that they have stolen? If they don't - where is the punishment, since they have each made money on the deal! Why are they still employed by parliament?

Actually, if the truth be told, other than being caught - what is the punishment? None that I can see. The lesson in this instance is that 'Crime does pay!"

Travelgate: More MPs admit guilt
Fatima Schroeder
December 06 2006 at 10:39AM

Two more Members of Parliament have pleaded guilty to charges of fraud and theft in connection with the multimillion parliamentary Travelgate scandal, bringing the number of accused left in the trial to 10.

The 10 remaining accused five MPs and five travel agents - represent a third of the number of suspects initially arrested. To date, the Scorpions have concluded plea-bargains with 30 current and former MPs and one travel agent, Shamiela Lamalia, who has agreed to testify on behalf of the State.

The matter was on Tuesday postponed to February 12, but lawyers indicated that a few more accused were considering cutting deals with the State. The trial may only start in June next year.


Tuesday, Jabu Sosibo and Elizabeth Ngaleka - both current ANC MPs - accepted plea-bargains from the State after lengthy negotiations.

Sosibo admitted to defrauding Parliament of R241 000, and was fined R100 000 or five years in prison, suspended for five years on condition that she was not found guilty of similar offences during the period of suspension.

Ngaleka was fined R20 000 or three years in prison, suspended for five years, after she pleaded guilty to theft of R37 000.

The State has allowed each of them to start paying their fines in instalments as of January. Sosibo will pay his fine in 40 instalments of R2 500 each. Ngaleka is to pay R2 500 a month for eight months. Judge President John Hlophe accepted the plea-bargains and convicted and sentenced them according to the agreements reached with the State. Their attorney, Selwyn Hockey read out the personal circumstances of Sosibo. This included that Sosibo, a grandmother of three, had a long history in South Africa's struggle for freedom and a lengthy involvement with the ANC.

She joined Parliament in 1994 and served on various portfolio committees. She was also active in the ANC Women's League. Ngaleka has been an MP since 1998 and was a member of the parliamentary committee on minerals and energy as well as agriculture and land affairs.

This article was originally published on page 3 of Pretoria News on December 06, 2006