Seth Nthai pleads guilty to soliciting R5m bribe
Disbarred advocate and former Limpopo safety MEC Seth Nthai has been convicted and sentenced by the High Court in Johannesburg after pleading guilty to corruption charges on Wednesday.
Nthai admitted to soliciting a R5 million bribe from Italian businessman Mario Marcenaro during a meeting in Sandton in October 2009.
The bribe was intended to influence the outcome of the Piero Foresti and others vs the Government of the Republic of South Africa international arbitration case.
The court accepted a plea and sentence agreement and imposed a fine of R500,000 or two years' imprisonment.
Additionally, Nthai received a five-year suspended sentence, wholly suspended for five years, on the condition that he is not convicted of a similar offence during the suspension period.
"Investigations revealed that Nthai, who was the government's legal representative in the arbitration, disclosed confidential case information to Marcenaro, including legal strategies, defences, and possible outcomes, without authorisation. In exchange for the bribe, Nthai promised to influence the government to secure a favourable settlement for Marcenaro and other claimants. Notably, the R5 million was never paid," said National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane.
