The extortion case involving taxi boss Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni and other accused is disrupted after the state prosecutor failed to appear in the Delmas Magistrate’s Court. According to multiple reports, Chief Magistrate Tuletu Tonjeni struck the matter from the court roll on 18 May after prosecutor Mkhuseli Ntaba was absent and a warrant for his arrest was subsequently issued for contempt of court or similar misconduct related to the no-show.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) moves through the courts in response to the arrest warrant. Several outlets report that the NPA sought urgent relief to block the arrest of Ntaba but later withdrew that urgent application. Other coverage says the NPA remains confident the underlying extortion case will proceed and takes steps to revive the prosecution.
Reports also state that the extortion and money laundering case—linked to alleged R2.2 million—will be re-enrolled and is set to return to court, with the next listing scheduled for the following Thursday. The accused and co-accused abandon an earlier bid to stop the arrest warrants, following the NPA’s decision to re-enrol the case.
