NPA vows to reinstate Estina case ‘as soon as possible’
The NPA’s Investigating Directorate has vowed to reinstate the Estina dairy farm case “as soon as possible” following the Free State High Court’s decision to strike the matter off the court roll.
The Vrede Dairy Farm project was an agreement between the Gupta-linked Estina company and the Free State Department of Agriculture in 2012.
The court's decision to strike the case off the roll follows an application by the defence, which cited challenges in accessing the electronic version of the hard copies of the ‘Gupta leaks’ emails.
However, NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga believes this is a mere stalling tactic by the defence.
“As early as 2023, as part of the disclosure process, the State had provided the defence with hard copies of the Gupta leaked emails. On 15 June 2024, the defence was provided with the electronic versions of the same hard copies disclosed in early 2023.
“The State also made its own technical experts available to assist the defence in accessing the digital platform, should they experience any challenges. Since the trial date of 5 August 2024, the State has been ready to proceed, with witnesses ready to testify in court.
“The NPA remains undeterred in the pursuit of this matter and will take all necessary steps to reinstate it,” Mhaga vowed.
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