Provisional withdrawal of fraud charges against Stanfield, others not sign of investigators' failure: WC police
Ralph Stanfield
South African Police Service (SAPS)
FILE: Malusi Booi (left) and his co-accused appeared in the Cape Town Magistrates Court on 31 January 2025. Picture: Ntuthuzelo Nene/EWN
CAPE TOWN - Western Cape police said the provisional withdrawal of commercial crime charges against 28's gang boss Ralph Stanfield, and others, is by no means an indication of failure on the part of investigators.
Stanfield, his wife, Nicole Johnson, City of Cape Town ousted Human Settlements MMC Malusi Booi, and more than 20 others were linked to a R1 billion tender fraud within the city's Human Settlements directorate.
However, the State had decided to withdraw the fraud charges against Stanfield, Johnson, Booi, and nine others, citing new evidence that has come to light.
The notorious couple and 12 others will remain behind bars to answer to a slew of gang-related charges, including murder.
The prosecution told the Cape Town Magistrates Court that the provisional withdrawal of the charges doesn't mean those implicated are off the hook.
Western Cape police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said it's common in complex cases like this to change the direction of an investigation due to the discovery of new information.
"It is envisaged that the withdrawn charges will be reinstated in due course. As the South African Police Service in the Western Cape, we are confident that the investigation into the 14 accused is still on course."
The case against Stanfield and 13 others has been postponed until July 14 for the State to provide further particulars to the defence before the case is transferred to the high court for a pretrial conference in November."
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