The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has found itself at the centre of a dispute with former ANC MP Vincent Smith following his court appearance.
Smith’s pretrial conference, scheduled for Tuesday in the high court in Johannesburg, was unexpectedly postponed to February 23.
The postponement sparked conflicting narratives between Smith and the NPA.
Sindiswa Seboka, spokesperson for the NPA’s investigating directorate, initially said Smith and his legal team were not prepared for the proceedings, which led to a postponement.
“The matter was postponed due to the defense not being ready to do the pretrial,” Seboka told Sunday World on Monday.
However, Smith’s lawyer Nicholas Kourie vehemently refuted the NPA’s version, saying his client was fully prepared for the pretrial hearing.
Smith is ready for trial
According to Kourie, Smith arrived in court with preferred trial dates and anticipating the initiation of the actual trial.
The defence team, he explained, was ready to present its case but encountered an unforeseen hurdle due to the unavailability of a judge.
Kourie argued that it was unbecoming for the NPA to assume that the defence was not ready for trial, especially considering that it had not been furnished with the pretrial agenda until after the postponement.
“The state only furnished us with the pretrial agenda after the trial was postponed today [on Tuesday]. But my client was ready. To say we were not ready is incorrect,” he said.
He further clarified that the defence was content with having the pretrial proceedings held in court and expressed eagerness for the actual trial to commence.
“We are happy to have the pretrial heard in court, and we are more than happy for the actual trial to start. My client has been waiting for his day in court.”
In response, Seboka maintained her position, stating: “I have already provided a response, and I stand by it.”
The charges
Smith faces charges of tax evasion, corruption and the breach of the Financial Intelligence Centre Act spanning from March 2009 to 2018.
The charges emanate from the alleged concealment of R28-million of taxable income.
Also accused in the matter is former Bosasa boss Angelo Agrizzi, who is alleged to have paid kickbacks to Smith in exchange for his political influence and protection.
