Judge orders Ramabulana trial to proceed after court finds delays unreasonable

The Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court has ordered the long‑delayed trial of Advocate Timothy Ramabulana to proceed, ruling in favour of the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) after finding the accused responsible for what the court called “unreasonable delays.”

What the court decided

The court’s ruling came on Wednesday. Ramabulana first appeared in court on 17 April 2024, but his matter had experienced repeated postponements prior to this decision.

Charges and alleged payments

Ramabulana faces 12 charges, including the acquisition or use of proceeds of unlawful activities, fraud, contravention of the Legal Practice Act and money laundering. The charges relate to five money transfers amounting to approximately R57 000 that were allegedly made into his personal account between January 2020 and November 2021.

Prosecutors’ account

IDAC spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the funds were allegedly transferred from a company called Isimbali Trading and Projects (Pty) Ltd. He said that company is linked to Kishene Chetty and Salamina Khoza and that it forms part of a separate criminal court matter involving corruption charges relating to a tender to brand police vehicles.

Mamothame said Ramabulana, in his capacity as an advocate, was not entitled to receive payments from Isimbali because he ought to have known the funds formed part of proceeds of unlawful activities. He said the payments were allegedly made to Ramabulana for representing some of the accused in the SAPS matter.

According to Mamothame, Ramabulana allegedly misrepresented that he was instructed by a firm of attorneys to represent the accused, which would contravene the Legal Practice Act. The act further prohibits an advocate from receiving a fee, commission or reward without instructions from a law firm and without possession of a Fidelity Fund Certificate, Mamothame said.

Related prosecutions

Last year, the Gauteng High Court sitting in Pretoria struck off the roll with costs an application by Kishene Chetty and his co‑accused to consolidate several charges of fraud, forgery, money laundering and other offences. That matter relates to the procurement of toners for the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape between 2015 and 2016, which the court record said resulted in a loss of more than R800 000 to the police.

Chetty and his co‑accused are facing 456 charges, including racketeering, fraud, corruption, theft, forgery and money laundering.

What happens next

With the Palm Ridge court directing the trial to proceed, the matter will continue through the specialised commercial crimes process as ordered by the court.