Durban - Former KwaZulu-Natal Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu said there was never any doubt about his innocence.
He was commenting after he and his co-accused were acquitted on charges of fraud and corruption at the Durban High Court yesterday.
He described the trial as a long journey in which he and his co-accused had sought to carry themselves with dignity.
The matter first came before the court in 2018.
Mabuyakhulu and his co-accused were acquitted on all charges which included fraud, corruption and money laundering relating to the North Sea Jazz Festival in 2012.
The charges relate to R28 million which the KZN government in around 2012 forked out for the music festival that never took place.
The State had alleged that the money was allegedly paid to the service providers during Mabuyakhulu’s term as MEC.
The accused were acquitted following their application for a discharge in terms of Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act. The section provides the right for an accused to be discharged if at the close of the State’s case there is no evidence that the accused committed the offence.
Delivering the verdict, Judge Mahendra Chetty was scathing about the State, saying that charges of fraud and corruption needed clear evidence and witnesses that were able to connect the dots and not to leave this to the court to do.
The judge stressed that there had been a lack of evidence that Mabuyakhulu, or any of the co-accused, had benefited materially in any form, or transgressed the rules of the Public Finance Management Act.
Mabuyakhulu said the judgment affirmed his belief in the impartiality of the courts.
Speaking to “The Mercury” following the judgment, Mabuyakhulu said he had asked the ANC leadership to ensure there were no party members and supporters in or outside the court during the trial.
“I want to thank the ANC leadership as well as the Alliance leaders for respecting my request on the matter.”
The National Prosecuting Authority said it noted the judgment.