The corruption case against Mpumalanga acting Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Matric Luphondo and former head of the Mpumalanga human settlements department, Kebone Masange, has been postponed for full disclosure of the docket contents to the defence and pre-trial proceedings.

Luphondo and Masange appeared in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Thursday.

According to Luphondo's legal representative, full disclosure of the docket contents had still not been made to the defence teams.

He added that it was only once disclosure had been made that the defence realised it did not have the complete docket.

Once full disclosure is made, the defence teams will consider their options, including making representations as to why they should not be prosecuted.

Meanwhile, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the matter was postponed to 17 March for a pre-trial hearing.

Alleged crime

According to the State, Luphondo and Hawks official Ayanda Plaatjie allegedly colluded with Masange to make the criminal charges against him disappear.

News24 previously reported that the third accused in the matter, Plaatjie, had died in 2021.

Masange, who was born in Zimbabwe, was arrested in September 2020 on charges of fraud, possession of fraudulent documents and contravening the Immigration Act.

It was alleged that he was in the country illegally and had used fraudulent documents in his application for the head of department position at the Mpumalanga Department of Human Settlements.

According to the charge sheet, on 12 March 2021, Plaatjie approached the prosecutor who had been assigned to prosecute Masange at the DPP's office in Pretoria, and asked if there was any way "to get out of this case".

On 18 March, Luphondo allegedly called the prosecutor and requested a meeting, that was held at an eatery in Arcadia, Pretoria.

There, Luphondo allegedly told the prosecutor Masange was willing to do anything to get out of the case, and that they should help him out.

Less than a week later, on 23 March, it is alleged that Luphondo met up with the prosecutor and handed him an 18-year-old bottle of Glenfiddich whisky, valued at R1 550, and R5 000 cash.

According to the charge sheet, Luphondo then told the prosecutor there would be more where that came from.

Four days later, Plaatjie allegedly contacted the prosecutor and asked to meet him at the Foundations circle in Pretoria, and handed the prosecutor R28 000 in cash.

Both Luphondo and Masange previously said they intended pleading not guilty to the charges.