The man at the centre of a high-profile sexual predator case in South Africa has been moved to Kgosi Mampuru prison, SABC News reports. The National Prosecuting Authority said the transfer was made because of a risk that he could escape, according to the broadcaster.
Prosecutors also believe people close to Sibiya may attempt to intimidate witnesses, EWN reports. The state's concern about interference with witnesses was raised alongside the decision to relocate him.
The case has drawn wide attention because of Sibiya's previous position. Daily Maverick describes his situation as a fall from directing dockets to facing accusations as a sex predator, a phrase that captures the distance between his former role in the justice system and the charges he now confronts.
The matter has also produced fallout beyond the courtroom. TimesLIVE reports that Maumela apologised and withdrew remarks made to the media in defence of Sibiya. News24 published analysis by Nthabi Nhlapo examining the uncomfortable questions the case raises.
Details of the charges and the procedural history of the matter were not available in the reporting summarised here. What is clear from the coverage is that the state is treating both the risk of escape and the possibility of witness interference as live concerns, and that a figure once involved in the machinery of prosecution now sits on the other side of it.
Watch for further court appearances and any ruling on the state's witness-protection concerns.
