SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS - The suspended ANC Regional Secretary of the Southern Cape, Mzwanele 'Major' Sokopo (43) is free to attend the closing ceremony of the ANC elective conference in Nasrec.

The R16-million fraud case involving the contravention of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act against Sokopo and his co-accused Ndileka Mfunda from Port Elizabeth was struck off the court roll by magistrate Pragalathan Govender on Monday 18 December. 

Govender said this was due to negligence on the part of the State as a result of the state not having its witnesses present at the trial.

Alwyn Griebenow from Griebenow Attorneys in Port Elizabeth representing both Sokopo and Mfunda, said, "We are happy with the outcome at this stage, obviously it is provisional. 

"Whatever happens in the future we will take the matter forward from there."

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