Africa-Press – South-Africa. Disbarred advocate and former Limpopo safety MEC Seth Nthai has been sentenced to two years behind bars or a fine of R500,000 after he pleaded guilty to corruption.
Nthai tried to solicit a R5m bribe from Italian businessman Mario Vittorrio Marcenaro and his associates 16 years ago.
On Wednesday Nthai entered into a plea agreement with the state in the Johannesburg high court. He was then found guilty and sentenced.
The court ordered him to pay the first R50,000 immediately after the order. Thereafter he would pay R50,000 monthly until March 2026.
At the time he asked for a bribe, Nthai was representing the government, which was locked in a mining dispute with Italian businesses.
According to the state, not only did Nthai solicit a bribe, but he also disclosed the merits of the government’s case, defences, technical strategies, possible settlement and possible reward if the case was settled in favour of Marcenaro or other claimants of the case.
“In exchange for the R5m gratification he offered to accept from Marcenaro, he would use his influence to get the government to agree to settle the matter [dispute] with each party paying its own costs,” according to court documents.
Nthai was disbarred in 2013 but later readmitted by the Limpopo High Court which found depression and anxiety could explain his attempt to solicit a R5m bribe.
The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) later overturned his readmission to the bar and referred the ruling to the National Prosecuting Authority to consider possible criminal charges.
The SCA at the time ruled that on his own version there was no escape from the fact that his attempt to solicit a bribe constituted a serious crime, for which he was not charged.
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