A former National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) prosecutor has been sentenced to seven yearsโ direct imprisonment after pleading guilty to corruption and money laundering charges in the Roodepoort Regional Court.
Former prosecutor Siphokazi Magangana entered into a plea and sentence agreement in terms of Section 105A of the Criminal Procedure Act. The NPA welcomed the sentence, saying it sends a strong message against corruption within the justice system.
According to the court, Magangana committed the offences in August 2022 while working as a prosecutor in the Johannesburg cluster of the NPA.
The court heard that on 13 August 2022, Magangana approached a complainant at Clearwater Mall and offered to help her secure a job as a public prosecutor in exchange for R10 000. Three days later, she allegedly approached another complainant in Johannesburg and offered assistance in securing an aspirant prosecutor position for the same amount.
Both complainants paid the money into a third partyโs bank account on Maganganaโs instructions.
In her guilty plea, Magangana admitted that she intentionally used another personโs account to conceal the proceeds obtained unlawfully, acknowledging that her actions amounted to corruption and money laundering.
The matter was investigated after a complaint was lodged, with the NPAโs Organised Crime Unit guiding the investigation.
Senior State Advocate Faghre Mohamed negotiated the plea and sentence agreement with the defence.
Magangana received seven yearsโ imprisonment for each of the two corruption charges and three years for each of the two money laundering charges. The sentences will run concurrently, resulting in an effective seven-year prison term.
As part of the agreement, all charges against the third party whose bank account was used were withdrawn.
Magangana, who joined the NPA in 2020, resigned from her position and has remained in custody since her arrest.
The NPA said corruption within the criminal justice system undermines the rule of law and damages public confidence in state institutions.
โThe NPA remains committed to ensuring accountability for all officials who abuse positions of trust for personal benefit,โ said NPA Communications Officer Magaboke Mohlatlole.
