Council Reduces Criminal Accusations Facing Dali Mpofu
Unfiltered, candid take on legal drama involving Dali Mpofu:
Senior counsel Dali Mpofu just got some relief from the Legal Practice Council (LPC) – they dropped three of the seven charges against him, leaving four still hanging.
Instead of starting his disciplinary hearing this week, Mpofu's case was postponed due to a power outage at the LPC's Gauteng office and some changes to the charge sheet. Daniel Mpanza, advocate and chair of the disciplinary committee, broke the news.
Three dropped charges include Mpofu's antics during his cross-examination of former public protector Thuli Madonsela, and that infamous remark about spending nights with Chief Justice Mandisa Maya during a Judicial Service Commission (JSC) interview. Spoiler alert: it was just an all-nighter study session, folks. According to Mpanza, those charges were dropped because "the complainants in those matters haven't got the guts to stick around." Regarding the Maya charge, it sounds like she's fired up about this, Mpanza said.
Now, let's dive into the remaining charges. Mpofu is still on the hook for:
- A statement he made to Qubudile Dyantyi, chair of Busisiwe Mkhwebane's impeachment inquiry, where he promised to "pay one day" for what he called Dyantyi's abuse, which Mpofu claimed was "not a threat, it's a promise;"
- Cross-examining SA Revenue Service official Johann van Loggerenberg during Mkhwebane's impeachment inquiry, where Mpofu questioned him about his mental health and if he suffered from a psychological condition;
- His line of questioning to Gauteng judge president Dunstan Mlambo during the 2022 JSC interviews for the chief justice position, where he asked about a "rumor" that Mlambo had sexually harassed aspiring acting judges; and
- A letter sent by Mpofu's legal team to judges in a court case between Peter Moyo and Old Mutual, causing such "disquiet" that they sent their judgment to the LPC for "investigation."
Mpanza mentioned that two of the remaining charges had been amended and that Mpofu will get a chance to respond and prepare his defense.
The hearing was postponed indefinitely, and there's no deadline yet for Mpofu's response. Mpanza hopes the matter gets sorted out sooner rather than later.
A team from the Council for the Advancement of the SA Constitution (Casac) was also present at the LPC's Gauteng office on Wednesday, as they were one of the complainants against Mpofu. Casac's Lawson Naidoo wasn't thrilled about the postponement, stating, "it's a serious concern for us that having wasted all this time to get to this point, the matter has been postponed." Naidoo also expressed confusion over the withdrawal of charges, claiming that they weren't based on the approval or evidence of those involved, but rather publicly available information.
Mpofu, who views these remaining charges as just as ridiculous as the dropped ones, has expressed optimism that they'll be addressed in due time. Supporters, like former Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, see this as an attempt to intimidate black legal practitioners[2].
- Despite the dropped charges against Dali Mpofu, he still faces four remaining charges, including an allegation made to Qubudile Dyantyi during Busisiwe Mkhwebane's impeachment inquiry and cross-examining Johann van Loggerenberg.
- Daniel Mpanza, the advocate and chair of the disciplinary committee, revealed that the assault allegations against Mpofu during his cross-examination of Thuli Madonsela and his remark about spending nights with Mandisa Maya were among the charges dropped, as the complainants decided not to pursue them.
- The legal drama involving Dali Mpofu as the police postponed his hearing due to a power outage and some changes to the charge sheet, is a general news story that has caught the attention of various organizations, such as the Council for the Advancement of the SA Constitution, who were present at the LPC's Gauteng office on Wednesday to follow the proceedings.
