Sars ‘rogue unit’ case postponed until next year, as Batohi decides if she’ll drop charges
Johann van Loggerenberg, Ivan Pillay, and Andries Janse van Rensburg were charged with offences relating to the bugging of the Scorpions and NPA offices in 2007.
Former SARS officials, from left, Ivan Pillay, Andries Janse van Rensburg and Johan van Loggerenberg are seen in the Pretoria magistrates Court, 9 April 2018. Picture: Jacques Nelles
The case of three former senior South African Revenue Service (Sars) officials accused of involvement in the so-called Sars “rogue unit” has been postponed until February 17 next year.
National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi needs to consider a review of the case which states that there are no reasonable prospects of prosecution and which could lead to the charges being dropped.
Johann van Loggerenberg, Ivan Pillay, and Andries Janse van Rensburg are accused of involvement in the so-called Sars “rogue unit”, and were charged with offences relating to the bugging of the offices of the erstwhile Scorpions and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in 2007.
Their lawyer Bernard Hotz told Newzroom Afrika: “The law provides that my clients have an opportunity to call upon the NDPP to reconsider the decision taken to prosecute them. This is precisely what they’ve done. They’ve submitted further written representations to the NDPP which are substantive representations, voluminous representations, and the point being is to explain to the NDPP what this case is all about, where the weaknesses in the case lie and why hopefully the NDPP will agree that my clients should never have been prosecuted at the outset.”
It is alleged that the three were involved in the installation of bugging equipment at the NPA head offices in Silverton, Pretoria.
The men have also been charged with the contravention of the Regulation of Interception of Communications Act and corruption.
News24 previously reported that Pillay, Van Loggerenberg and Janse van Rensburg had approached the High Court in Pretoria on April 4 for an order halting criminal proceedings.
However, they withdrew their application after they received the NPA’s answering affidavit.
(Additional information added by Daniel Friedman.)
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