Fadiel Adams returns to Parliament as fraud case stalls
PINETOWN — National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams is back at work in Parliament after serving a 20 day suspension, while his fraud and defeating the administration of justice case has been postponed to October before reaching trial.
Adams appeared in the Pinetown Regional Court on Friday, where prosecutors asked for the matter to be postponed to 16 October for a pre trial conference after statements were provided to his defence.
State Advocate Nokulunga Ngcobo told the court that the documents had been handed over, while Adams’ attorney, Donovan Moodley, confirmed their receipt and said both sides had agreed on the October date.
Outside the proceedings, Adams rejected descriptions of himself as an “embattled” politician.
“The media should stop calling me embattled. Do I look embattled?” he said.
His court appearance comes as he resumes his parliamentary duties following a separate 20 day suspension imposed after he shared a screenshot of an internal email on social media that contained the personal contact details of a DA staff member.
The criminal case concerns allegations surrounding Adams’ visits to inmates at Westville Prison. The State alleges that he misrepresented the purpose of the visits by claiming to be carrying out parliamentary duties while meeting trial awaiting prisoners and obtaining statements from them.
One of those inmates was Sibusiso Ncengwa, who is now serving a sentence for the murder of former ANC Youth League leader Sindiso Magaqa.
Adams is also alleged to have visited former Political Killings Task Team member Sergeant Bonginkosi Dlamini to obtain a statement from him.
Dlamini is serving a 17 year sentence after being convicted of accepting a R120,000 bribe to interfere with evidence in the 2018 murder investigation of ANC branch leader Thulani Nxumalo in KwaNdengezi.
Adams has denied the allegations against him and used Friday’s appearance to again criticise the Political Killings Task Team, which arrested him at the Parliamentary Village in Cape Town earlier this year.
He accused the unit of delays and said information had been provided to his defence late.
The allegations against Adams remain untested, and Friday’s postponement means the case has not yet reached the stage where the State’s evidence will be tested at trial.
For Adams, however, the political and criminal processes are now running separately. His parliamentary suspension has ended and he has returned to work, but the fraud case remains before the courts, with the next step scheduled for the pre trial conference on 16 October.
Anyone with additional information can contact the press desk at press@townpress.co.za.