THE MEN who broke into the home of Pretoria high court judge Mabel Jansen specifically demanded files related to the tax case of EFF commander-in-chief Julius Malema.
This was confirmed by Jansen’s spokesperson Kirk Russell, of Abstergo Communications, who also said the judge had not been at home at the time of the crime. Russell could not confirm whether Judge Jansen had since returned from a trip to Europe.
He said a pair of gun-wielding robbers broke into the judge’s home on Friday. She has been on special leave since May.
“Among some of the items taken during the robbery were jewellery of sentimental value and her court laptop,” Russell said.
Russell said the judge was not home at the time of the incident.
He said the intruders found an employee of Judge Jansen at the house.
Judge Jansen presided over the dispute between Sars and the EFF leader.
At the heart of the dispute was the payment of R20 million, specifically R18m in taxes and R2m in interest, for the tax period 2005 to 2011.
Judge Jansen was placed on special leave in May following comments about a culture of rape she made to journalist Gillian Schutte in messages on Facebook.
Schutte subsequently made the comments, which were more than a year old, public.
In the message exchange with Schutte, Judge Jansen allegedly said: “In their culture, a woman is there to pleasure them. Period. It is seen as an absolute right and a woman’s consent is not required.”
The conversation continued to say: “I still have to meet a black girl who was not raped at about 12. I am dead serious.”
This led to a major backlash, with various quarters of society calling for Judge Jansen to be relieved of her duties.
The Black Lawyers Association picketed outside the high court and called for Judge Jansen to resign or be impeached. Complaints were also filed against her with the Judicial Service Commission.
“The judge president (Dunstan Mlambo) and Judge Jansen met and agreed to request that the minister (Justice Minister Michael Masutha) place her on special leave,” Judicial Service Commission spokesperson advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza said at the time.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said the robbery at Judge Jansen’s home was being investigated.
The Star was unsuccessful in its efforts to get a comment from Malema, who earlier was quoted on News24 as saying there was a hidden hand in the matter.
In the current political landscape, anything was possible, he apparently said.
“They become desperate, especially if they can’t fault you politically.
"This comes as no shock to me,” he said.
Malema then added he hoped Judge Jansen and her employees would be safe.