A Defiant Stand: Former RAF Boss Letsoalo Faces Criminal Charges for Snubbing Parliament

In a dramatic confrontation with one of Parliament’s most powerful committees, former Road Accident Fund (RAF) CEO Collins Letsoalo has flatly refused to testify before an inquiry into alleged maladministration at the fund, setting the stage for a potential criminal case.

Letsoalo was summoned to appear before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) this week as part of its investigation into financial impropriety and the misuse of public funds at the RAF. Instead of testifying, he sent a lawyer’s letter stating he would not participate, branding the entire process “unlawful.”

“I’m Not Going”: A Battle Over Procedure

In a televised interview, Letsoalo was resolute in his defiance. “The reality is this: I’m not going to go through an unlawful process,” he stated. His refusal hinges on a technical argument about how the summons was served. He claims he never personally received a summons and that Parliament should have served it directly to his legal team.

“It’s not for me. It’s for them to serve, not me,” he argued. “This thing is void ab initio (invalid from the outset) because of its unlawfulness. I am not participating in an unlawful process.”

After attempts to deliver the summons to his known addresses failed, Parliament employed “substituted service,” sending it via email, social media, and even affixing it to his doora method that legal experts confirm is valid.

The Looming Legal Consequences

By refusing to comply, Letsoalo is walking directly into a legal minefield. The Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act explicitly empowers Parliament to compel testimony. Failure to appear without a valid, lawful excuse is a criminal offence and can be treated as contempt of Parliament.

When asked if he feared criminal charges, Letsoalo brushed off the concern with a dismissive, “Let him go,” referring to RAF chairperson Songezo Zibi. He claimed that a case being opened does not equate to a criminal charge.

However, Scopa is not backing down. The committee has formally recommended that criminal charges be pursued against the former CEO. This recommendation now awaits endorsement from the Speaker of the National Assembly, a move that would transform his political defiance into a concrete legal battle.

The standoff is more than a procedural squabble; it is a high-stakes test of Parliament’s authority to hold powerful figures accountable. As Letsoalo digs in, he risks a criminal record to make his point, while Scopa seeks to assert that no one, not even a former CEO, is beyond the reach of a parliamentary inquiry.

{Source: IOL}

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