Sibanyoni case kicked out of court, warrant issued for arrest of no-show prosecutor
The magistrate removed the case after the prosecutor missed court, and Sibanyoni’s lawyer plans a contempt application.
- On Monday, May 18, 2026, Chief Magistrate Tule-tu Siphokazi Tonjeni struck the extortion case against taxi boss Joe Ferrari Sibanyoni and three co-accused from the roll at Kwaggafontein Magistrate Court in Mpumalanga after state prosecutor Mkhuseli Ntaba failed to appear.
- Sibanyoni, Bafana Oupa Sindane, Phillmon Makhaya Msiza, and Mvimba Daniel Masilela face extortion and money laundering charges for allegedly forcing a Nkangala district businessman to pay more than R2.2 million as protection fees between 2022 and 2025.
- Former NDPP Shaun Abrahams, representing the accused, labeled Ntaba's absence disrespectful to judicial proceedings, noting Chief Magistrate Tonjeni had explicitly ordered the prosecutor to attend despite his earlier claims of unavailability on Friday.
- The National Prosecuting Authority suspended Ntaba pending disciplinary action, while NDPP Andy Mothibi said, "While this is disappointing, it is not a setback," noting the state retains authority to reinstate the case.
- Though the case was struck from the roll, it can be re-enrolled at a later stage, and Tonjeni indicated a formal complaint regarding Ntaba's conduct will be lodged with the Legal Practice Council and the Director of Public Prosecutions in Mpumalanga.
17 Articles
17 Articles
South Africa: Prosecutor Faces Arrest After Taxi Boss Joe 'Ferrari' Sibanyoni Escapes Extortion Charges
The extortion and money laundering case against taxi boss Joe 'Ferrari' Sibanyoni and his co-accused was struck off the roll by the Kwaggafontein Magistrates' Court on Monday after State prosecutor Mkhuseli Ntaba failed to appear in court.
Prosecutor faces arrest after taxi boss Joe ‘Ferrari’ Sibanyoni escapes extortion charges
The extortion and money laundering case against taxi boss Joe ‘Ferrari’ Sibanyoni and his co-accused was struck off the roll by the Kwaggafontein Magistrates’ Court on Monday after State prosecutor Mkhuseli Ntaba failed to appear in court.
Prosecutor suspended after for failing to appear in high-profile Joe ‘Ferrari’ Sibanyoni's case
The NPA has launched disciplinary proceedings against a prosecutor convicted of contempt of court after a critical case involving taxi kingpin Joe ‘Ferrari’ Sibanyoni collapsed in Mpumalanga.
Big 5 cartel extortion: Joe 'Ferrari' Sibanyoni walks free
Taxi boss Joe ‘Ferrari’ Sibanyoni walked out of the Kwaggafontein Magistrate’s Court on Monday a free man. He did not escape the dock because the state dropped its case, nor because a court acquitted him. He walked free because the prosecutor assigned to keep him behind bars never arrived. The extortion case against the ‘Big 5’ cartel’s key member Sibanyoni and his three co-accused collapsed before a single bail argument was heard. While the N…
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