President Cyril Ramaphosa has committed to uncovering why hundreds of apartheid-era crimes recommended by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) have still not been prosecuted more than two decades later.
Following the TRC’s conclusion in 2003, over 400 cases were referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further investigation and possible prosecution. However, many of these cases remain untouched, leaving families of apartheid victims frustrated and disillusioned.
Earlier this year, several families took legal action against Ramaphosa and five government department heads, demanding R167 million in damages and accusing them of deliberately suppressing TRC-referred cases.
President Ramaphosa to establish Inquiry
In response, Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed that President Ramaphosa would establish a commission of inquiry into the lack of progress, as part of an out-of-court settlement with the affected families.
“Allegations of improper influence in delaying or obstructing the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes have lingered since previous administrations,” said Magwenya. “Through this commission, President Ramaphosa is determined to uncover the truth and bring the matter to a close.”
The move has been welcomed by some advocacy groups, who see it as a long-overdue step toward justice and accountability.
In More News – Nigerian Man Okezie Ogbata sentenced for Defrauding 400 Elderly People of Inheritance
A 36-year-old Nigerian national, Okezie Ogbata, has been sentenced to 97 months in prison in the United States for his involvement in a $6 million transnational inheritance fraud scheme that targeted vulnerable elderly individuals across the country. The United States Department of Justice revealed the sentencing in a statement issued on Monday.
Okezie Ogbata was found to be a key participant in a fraudulent operation that spanned several years, during which he and his co-conspirators sent personalized letters to hundreds of elderly Americans. The fraudulent letters claimed that the recipients were entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance, supposedly left to them by a deceased family member from overseas.
These letters falsely stated that the recipient was a beneficiary of a substantial inheritance from a supposed relative who had passed away years ago, leading the victims to believe they were set to receive a windfall. The scam affected more than 400 individuals, primarily elderly or vulnerable members of society, resulting in financial losses exceeding $6 million. Read More
