State capture inquiry not getting into mudslinging contest with Lucky Montana

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unnamed — January 30, 2018. Former Prasa CEO, Lucky Montana appears before the Eskom parliamentary inquiry into state capture. PICTURE: ESA ALEXANDER/SUNDAY TIMES

The state capture inquiry on Tuesday said it was not interested in engaging in a public mudslinging contest with former Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) chief executive Lucky Montana.

This comes after Montana accused the inquiry of “blocking” his evidence by cancelling his oral testimony, scheduled for this week, and refusing to accept his bundle of evidence.

Montana has been on a full-on offensive against the inquiry since Sunday, when he released a public statement making several allegations against the inquiry chaired by deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo.

His statement was followed by tweets taking aim at the inquiry.

Inquiry spokesperson Rev Mbuyiselo Stemela on Tuesday told TimesLIVE it was not interested in engaging with Montana publicly.

“The commission does not discuss communication between the commission and its witnesses. You may contact Mr Montana directly as he is the one who shared the information with the media.”

Montana accused the inquiry of cancelling his “scheduled” oral testimony because he was going to implicate the inquiry and its “preferred” witnesses.

He also charged that his 31-strong bundle of documents the inquiry rejected were properly marked and numbered, despite the inquiry’s claim to the contrary.

Even if his numbering and marking was incorrect, Montana said, the inquiry should have given him time to correct it and provide him with assistance in that regard.

“I have consistently said the commission is biased, is pursuing a predetermined agenda and targeting particular individuals,” said Montana.

“I am one of those people who are targeted and every attempt is made to frustrate me in telling my story.