Former Mpumalanga Director of Public Prosecutions Matric Lefond. (Phil Magakoe/Gallo Images)
MaThe National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Friday that Mpumalanga's former acting director of public prosecutions, Atric Lufond, has been fired following labour arbitration proceedings while his criminal trial for corruption continues.
Lufond was found guilty of bribery by an arbitrator for violating section 4.3.4(a) of the NPA Code of Ethics and bringing the organization into disrepute.
NPA spokesman Muthunzi Muhagga said he was fired on Wednesday.
“The NPA adheres to strict anti-corruption policies and practices and has a zero tolerance stance towards internal corruption,” Muhagga said, adding that the sanctions against Lufond underscore the agency's determination to root out corruption including among “senior internal officials”.
“Attorney Lefond, particularly as a senior executive at the NPA, should have always acted to the highest ethical standards and performed his duties without fear, favouritism or bias.”
Lufond was suspended on 4 April 2021, days after he was arrested alongside Hawks Lt. Colonel Ayanda Plaatje and Mpumalanga provincial human settlements director Kebonne Masange.
He is on trial in the Pretoria High Court accused of attempting to bribe Pretoria prosecutor-general Andrew Mfanga with cash and a bottle of fine whiskey in return for dropping fraud and immigration charges against Masanzi.
Mpanga immediately reported the attempted bribery to his superiors and the police.
LeFondo allegedly met with Masanji at a McDonald's in Arcadia in March 2021 and told him he was “willing to do anything to get out of this.”
Mfangwa said that during their second meeting, Lefondo handed him R5,000 in cash and a box containing a bottle of 18-year-old Glenfiddich and hinted at further compensation.
Mr Lefond unsuccessfully tried to have the Labour Court declare the disciplinary proceedings unlawful.
He pleaded not guilty to all charges at the arbitration hearing, arguing that the evidence was fabricated and that without a court conviction the NPA could not bring disciplinary action based on the criminal allegations.
This objection was rejected because the burden of proof in disciplinary and criminal proceedings is different.
The arbitrator found that not only had Mfangwa fabricated evidence but it was highly unlikely that he would have reported it to the deputy director of public prosecutions in Pretoria and the police, concluding that “the employer's version is far more likely than the employee's version”.
Lufond was tasked with monitoring the evidence emerging from the Zondo Commission with a view to formulating charges against those allegedly involved in the state takeover.
He was also one of the candidates for the post of National Director of Public Prosecutions, which was filled by Shamila Batohi in 2019.