Cape Town, 4 September 2019: Accountability Now laid corruption charges against Seth Nthai, a former senior advocate who practiced at the Pretoria and Johannesburg Bars on 3 September 2019. Nthai was struck off the roll of advocates in 2013 for conducting himself unprofessionally and is in the process of applying for his re-enrolment.
The complaint against him relates to two aspects of the impunity which he has enjoyed. He admits to soliciting a bribe of R5 million in his founding affidavit in the re-enrolment proceedings, but has no criminal record for doing so. Also he does not appear to have tried to make amends by refunding his client (the respondent) the fees of around R6 million he charged in the matter in which he improperly offered to make the case go away in exchange for the claimants depositing R5 million in his foreign bank account. Very properly they declined to do so. As a consequence of his corruptly attempting to make the matter “go away” in the international arbitration concerning mining rights, his client, the government, was unable to recover his costs from the miners. He charged more than Euro430,000 in the matter (about R6 million in today’s money) and kept hi fee when his chicanery was uncovered due to the miners being unwilling to pay the bribe he demanded.
The affidavit supporting the complaint is attached can be downloaded here.
ENDS
Issued on behalf of Accountability Now by Catalyst Communications:
Queries to Paul Hoffman at 0828880821
Paul Hoffman SC, Director, Institute for Accountability in Southern Africa, Campaigning as
Accountability Now
paulhoffman@webafrica.org.za
www.accountabilitynow.org.za
+27 (0)82 888 0821
Twitter: @paulhoffmansc
About Accountability Now:
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The PURPOSE of The Institute for Accountability in Southern Africa (IFAISA) is to make Accountability
matter.
It is our MISSION to hold the leaders of the region accountable for respecting, protecting, promoting
and fulfilling the rights of the people.
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focus of the leadership is to hold human rights paramount.
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in Southern Africa through the inculcation of the values of accountability.
I was working for Adv Seth Nthai for a few years but I had to fire myself on 30 November 2019 as he did not pay me my salary for almost a year! He is the rudest person I have ever worked for. He has not reformed himself as he stated in the affidavit filed with his application for re-admittance. I also have proof that he did practice law while he was still disbarred.