Court prosecutor’s litany of charges
A municipal court prosecutor failed to disclose that he had a string of drunk driving charges – most of which were withdrawn.
|||Cape Town - A municipal court prosecutor at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court is facing a disciplinary hearing and an investigation by the city council’s internal Special Investigating Unit after he failed to disclose that he had a string of drunk driving charges – most of which were withdrawn.
In his latest brush with the law, Mongezi Putuma, who deals with traffic offences, was arrested by Delft police on November 14 and charged with drunken driving, attempted murder, reckless and negligent driving and crimen injuria.
Putuma was allegedly spotted by metro traffic officers driving “erratically” along the R300 near Kuils River. When the officer pulled him over, Putuma allegedly tried to ram the officer off his motorcycle.
He was then taken to the Delft police station where he was caught on camera threatening staff and yelling: “I hate white people.”
Putuma was later released on R500 bail and was scheduled to appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on November 16.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Eric Ntabazalila said Putuma failed to appear in court and the matter was withdrawn.
He also explained that the prosecutor could not issue a warrant of arrest – as is procedure – when Putuma failed to appear in court because “no one seemed to know the whereabouts of the accused at the Delft police station”.
“Even though the prosecutor had the docket with him, he could not apply for a warrant as he did not have any document indicating the status of the accused,” he said.
Ntabazalila said the NPA has sought the docket and has forwarded it to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for “consideration and decision”.
The Cape Argus was in the possession of a document that detailed 11 cases against the municipal prosecutor, nine of which were withdrawn.
Last year, Putuma was charged at the Gugulethu police station for dealing in drugs. He was found with 16 parcels of dagga, two black bags of dagga and one striped nylon bag of dagga.
The status of this case was unknown.
In 2012, he faced a charge of statutory rape at the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court for allegedly being in a relationship with a 15-year-old girl.
A warrant of arrest was issued and executed a day before he made his court appearance.
Mayoral committee member for corporate services and compliance Xanthea Limberg told the Cape Argus that the city was in the process of finalising a disciplinary hearing which would be made public shortly.
In the meantime, the city council said Putuma has been removed from court duties and was currently performing administrative tasks.
The NPA has confirmed this.
Limberg said Putuma did not divulge that he had pending cases against him.
“His failure to inform the city council about these cases will form part of the disciplinary charges that will be instituted against him,” she said.
She said Putuma’s conduct on the night of his last arrest, where he was caught on video hurling insults at officers, would form part of the disciplinary process brought against him.
Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith said Putuma had “an extremely chequered past” and questioned how he managed to have the cases against him dropped.
“What is interesting about him is that he is a public prosecutor so he carries a certain amount of responsibility and seniority.
“He has over a long period of time engaged in a large number of offences.
“The interesting thing is how he is getting away with it. How do all of his cases end up being withdrawn?
“What needed to happen was for the city council and the NPA to have been alerted about the cases against Putuma.
“Him being in the system so long is a indication of the failure of the criminal justice system.”
Numerous attempts were made to reach Putuma for comment, but without success.
Putuma’s list of dropped charges
* In 2006, he was charged with public indecency for urinating in public. The case was withdrawn.
* In 2008, he was charged with common assault. The case was withdrawn.
* In 2010, he was charged with drunken driving. The case was withdrawn.
* In 2012, he was charged with crimen injuria. The case was withdrawn.
* In that same year, he was also charged with drunken |driving. The case was withdrawn.
* Also in 2012, he appeared in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court for allegedly having a relationship with a 15-year-old girl.
* In 2013, he was charged with drunken driving. The case was withdrawn.
* Last year, he was charged with dealing in drugs. The status of the case is unknown.
* This year, he was charged with drunken driving. The case was withdrawn.
* Again this year he was charged with drunken driving. The case was withdrawn.
* Also this year, he was charged with drunken driving, attempted murder, reckless and negligent driving and crimen injuria. That case was also withdrawn.
Cape Argus
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