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Former member of Parliament Vincent Smith was sentenced to seven years’ direct imprisonment by the Johannesburg High Court after reaching a plea and sentence agreement with the state, reports Cape {town} Etc.

The court accepted the agreement in terms of section 105A of the Criminal Procedure Act and ordered Smith to serve an effective seven-year term (Gov.za).

Smith pleaded guilty to corruption, fraud and money-laundering counts linked to payments from a company he controlled, Euroblitz 48, and to failing to disclose taxable income amounting to about R28 million.

Charges against the company itself were withdrawn. The presiding judge, Mohamed Ismail, imposed the sentence after the plea was confirmed in court.

The IDAC and senior prosecutors framed the result as a step towards accountability in state capture matters. As Andy Mothibi put it in a statement, ‘the wheels of justice finally got in motion’, commending the prosecution team.

For readers, the sentence closes a long chapter in one of the country’s high-profile corruption probes.

It also raises fresh questions about asset recovery and how the courts will enforce forfeiture and restraint orders linked to the case.

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Picture: Lulama Zenzile / Gallo Images

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