Zebediela beneficiaries’ committee calls for speedy prosecution of disbarred lawyer Tumi Mokwena
THE Save Zebediela Citrus Estate Committee has urged the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to expedite the prosecution of Tumi Mokwena who was struck off the roll of practicing attorneys on Friday.
Mokwena was struck off the roll following a court application by the Legal Practice Council and protracted hearings over seven years in the Polokwane High Court.
Mokwena, who is the former legal representative of EFF leader Julius Malema, faced a myriad of misdemeanours in his career. He was first suspended as a practicing lawyer in March 2022 and his law firm was later sequestrated.
It was found that he had not complied with a 2018 court order for the LPC to inspect all his law firm records; that he practiced for some years without a fidelity fund certificate and his auditors’ reports for several years were outstanding.
His alleged malfeasance at Zebediela Citrus Estate also formed part of the application by the LPC.
In 2016, he took over the running of the estate, resulting in the strategic partner being kicked out. In terms of the settlement agreement, the partner paid R10m into Mokwena’s trust account, but the money was not accounted for.
A contract was then signed with Fruitco (Pty) Ltd for the sale of oranges and the company paid more than R28,3m over a period into Mokwena’s account, but the funds were also not accounted for.
Some of the beneficiaries under the auspices of the Save Zebediela Citrus Estate Committee went up in arms over the “missing” money. At some stage, Mokwena was arrested for opening fire on a group of disgruntled workers, but was later acquitted.
The committee chairperson, Ike Kekana, then laid criminal charges related to alleged malfeasance at the estate.
On Monday, Kekana urged the Hawks and NPA to expedite the matter.
“Our next step is to push Lt Gen Lebeya and Shamila Batoyi of NPA because this case cannot go into the eighth year. Justice delayed is justice denied,” he said.
He said the committee was “exceptionally happy and delighted” about Mokwena being struck off the roll of practicing attorneys.
“I hope this will be a lesson to the next generation of attorneys,” he said.
