Prosecutor in Joe ‘Ferrari’ Sibanyoni Case Allegedly Received Death Threats, Says NPA
Death Threats Forced Prosecutor to Turn Back
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has confirmed that the prosecutor handling the high-profile extortion and money laundering case against Mpumalanga taxi boss Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni received serious death threats, forcing him to turn back while on his way to court.
Prosecutor Mkhuseli Ntaba was reportedly informed that he would be “eliminated” if he attended the bail proceedings at the Kwaggafontein Magistrate’s Court. He raised safety concerns with senior NPA officials and did not appear, leading the magistrate to strike the case off the roll and issue a warrant of arrest for contempt of court.
NPA Responds to Safety Concerns
NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago addressed the threats publicly, stating that Ntaba had been escorted to court by heavily armed police on previous occasions due to safety risks. Kganyago emphasised that the prosecutor reported the threats to the Mpumalanga Director of Public Prosecutions before deciding not to proceed to court.
The NPA has suspended Ntaba pending an internal investigation into his absence, but is also investigating the validity of the threats. The authority has filed a formal complaint against the presiding magistrate, citing concerns over procedural fairness, and is in the process of re-enrolling the case at another court (Delmas Magistrate’s Court) for safety reasons. The matter is now set to resume on 28 May.
Charges Against Sibanyoni and Co-Accused
Sibanyoni and three co-accused face charges of extorting over R2.2 million in “protection fees” from a mining entrepreneur, along with money laundering.
The NPA has vowed to ensure the case proceeds on its merits, with National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Andy Mothibi confirming that Ntaba is safe and that the authority will not allow such incidents to derail justice.
