Warning: graphic pictures
In October 2017, Saving the Wild uncovered the “Blood Rhino Blacklist” – an alleged syndicate of corrupt judges, magistrates, prosecutors and defence attorneys who’ve for a few years been taking bribes from these implicated in rhino poaching, human trafficking and different heinous crimes.
One yr later, on 5 October 2018, South Africa’s Ministry of Justice suspended the KwaZulu-Natal Courtroom President Eric Nzimande as a result of alleged rampant corruption in his courts and alleged sexual harassment. Whereas on suspension for the final 4 years, Nzimande has obtained his full wage of roughly R1.4 million yearly, however to this point, not one justice official implicated within the investigation has been arrested, nor has anybody gone by way of a disciplinary listening to.
‘Each the Magistrates Fee and the Nationwide Prosecuting Authority have used each trick within the e-book to delay prosecution of those corrupt justice officers, whereas the Ministry of Justice declare they can not intrude. It’s an incredible shame,’ says Jamie Joseph, Saving the Wild Director.
‘We name on the President of South Africa to acknowledge these atrocities and produce sanctity again to the courts. The federal government states that rhino poaching is a high-priority crime – then why is there no minimal sentence for rhino poaching?’
In the direction of the top of final yr, Joseph met with senior officers at US Treasury in Washington DC to hunt US sanctions and current preliminary proof. On Might 31, Saving the Wild’s Washington DC-based companion, Environmental Investigation Company, submitted the formal International Magnitsky sanctions suggestion package deal to the US Division of Treasury and State. That is now in course of and targets particular people versus a complete nation.
Crimes towards humanity and rhinos getting ready to extinction have led to the pressing want for worldwide intervention, with bribery within the courts fuelling the disaster. The marketing campaign is asking that President Ramaphosa urgently carry accountability and no additional delays within the prosecution of all implicated justice officers.
Says Former Public Protector Professor Thuli Madonsela: ‘These corrupt justice officers state seize perpetrators which have substituted themselves for the democratic course of. That is the undermining of democracy by hijacking the state. These are crimes towards humanity and theft of our pure heritage.’
On World Rhino Day on 22 September, Saving the Wild, in partnership with the Djimon Hounsou basis, make an pressing plea for South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, to:
- Acknowledge the intense allegations of bribery towards suspended Kwazulu-Natal courtroom president Eric Nzimande, who has been receiving his full wage of round 1.4 million Zar yearly since his suspension on 5 October 2018, and 4 years on has nonetheless not gone by way of a disciplinary listening to
- Implement accountability of all implicated justice officers who made funds into Nzimande’s checking account, and are underneath investigation by the Justice of the Peace’s fee and the police. The police are unable to make arrests till the Kwazulu-Natal director of public prosecutions, Elaine Zungu, indicators off on the cost sheet
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