Riyaz Patel
Arms deal corruption crusader Patricia de Lille says Wednesday’s High Court ruling, which set aside the findings of the arms deal commission of inquiry, presents another opportunity to hold those responsible to account.
In summarising his findings, High Court Judge President Dunstan Mlambo stated that: “So manifest a set of errors of law, a clear failure to test evidence of key witnesses, a refusal to take account of documentary evidence which contained the most serious allegations which were relevant to its inquiry, the principle of legality dictates only one conclusion, that the findings of such a commission must be set aside.”
“It demonstrates that although the wheels of justice have been turning almost imperceptibly slowly, they are not entirely broken and the rule of law prevails,” de Lille said.
She added: “The court judgment presents a new opportunity to demonstrate in South Africa that all citizens, irrespective of power or connectivity, are governed by the same laws and Constitution and held to equal standards to account.”
“I think it is only fair that the taxpayers of this country demand our millions be paid back. I think that all the evidence leaders must give back our money, the fees that have been paid to Judge Seriti must be paid back,” de Lille said on SABC Thursday.
De Lille, who was one of the first to speak out on corruption surrounding the arms deal some 20 years ago, described the ruling as “bitter-sweet.”
The EFF has said meanwhile, that Judge Willie Seriti – who chaired the commission of inquiry into the controversial R30bn arms deal – must be held liable for the costs after his findings were overturned by the High Court in Pretoria.
Judge Mlambo said Wednesday that Seriti had failed to execute his mandate to thoroughly investigate the controversial multi-billion rand arms deal.
