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Results ATP-scam investigation

Old 14th Feb 2001, 12:46
  #81 (permalink)  
Wiz
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CAA to Take a Decision [to review] an SAA Pilots's Licence
9 February 2001

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will make a decision on what action to be taken in respect of Isaiah Nombo's pilot licence early next week.

Nombo, a pilot with South African Airways, was found guilty on one charge of fraud and one of corruption by the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday, 7 February 2001. These charges relate to the illegal purchasing of air transport pilot licence examination papers.

"The CAA has the responsibility of ensuring that only those who have legally fulfilled the theoretical and practical requirements for the obtaining of a licence are permitted to enjoy its rights and privileges," said Acting Commissioner for Civil Aviation, Wrenelle Stander.

For further information contact:
Ms Jackie Mfeka
Manager: Communications
083-635-0019
------------------------------

Fourpaddles, I'm not sure if you're just Guv bashing or whatever but if you peruse this forum I think you'll get an idea of the 'can of worms' I'm talking about. Respectfully, Wiz
 
Old 14th Feb 2001, 22:42
  #82 (permalink)  
The Ant
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Izak Nombo has had dismissal proceedings commenced against him at SAA. This was published in a bulletin by Anton Richman the day after he was found guilty.
One down so far.
 
Old 23rd Feb 2001, 00:13
  #83 (permalink)  
Wiz
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CAA Suspends Pilot's Licence
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">"In light of the pilot's knowingly contravening the regulations, it was decided to suspend his licence," said Victoria Buxton, General Manager:Air Safety Operations.</font>
Independant review panel:
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">The Panel is satisfied that Abrahams was aware that he had to comply with the requirement relating to a theoretical examination, before he obtained his instrument rating...

...The Panel is satisfied that Abrahams ought to have known that when he chose to follow the option of obtaining a South African PPL with instrument rating he would have been required to pass the theoretical examination relating to instrument rating. He did not write that examination. </font>
Now who's been 'knowingly contravening the regulations?' I see the old government's double standards technique is alive and well in the new one.
 
Old 1st Mar 2001, 22:43
  #84 (permalink)  
WildFrequency
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Article from News24:-
01/03/2001 17:20 - (SA)


Warrant of arrest for SAA pilot



Pretoria - A warrant of arrest was on Thursday authorised in the Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria for a former SA Airways pilot convicted of buying licence examination papers.

Issayah Dominicus Nombo, 42, was supposed to be sentenced on Thursday, but had not arrived at the court by 9.30am.

His bail was also provisionally retracted and Magistrate Mario Jungbluth ordered that March 15 be the return date.

Jungbluth last month convicted Nombo on charges of fraud and corruption relating to the buying of Airline Transport Pilot's licence (ATPL) examination papers, and acquitted him on three more charges.

Brandon Harris, formerly an official at the Department of Transport, testified he had sold the examination papers for the ATPL, which a pilot needs to serve as a captain on an international airline, to Nombo in 1997 for R7 000.

He also ensured that Nombo wrote that same set of papers, and when he failed one of them, sold another to him for R500.

- Suspended Civil Aviation Authority chief executive officer Trevor Abrahams also briefly appeared in the court on Thursday on charges related to the buying and selling of examination papers.

State advocate Sonia le Roux requested a postponement to March 15 for a decision by the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions (NDPP).

Defence counsel Gys Rautenbach had no objection to the postponement, although he pointed out that the postponement would be the third in anticipation of the NDPP's decision on the matter.

He said the defence had earlier asked for a postponement to allow it to approach the NDPP to request an early trial date and to make representations to have all charges against Abrahams withdrawn.

When a charge sheet was initially handed to Abrahams in November, it contained 18 charges, Rautenbach said.

The magistrate granted the postponement. - Sapa

 
Old 2nd Mar 2001, 00:01
  #85 (permalink)  
The Guvnor
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Cool

Sorry, Fourpaddles I didn't see your postings until now.

As it happens, I was at the CAA today, and had lunch with an old friend in the FCL department. He confirmed that any people proffering SA licences issued within the last six years or so are scruitinised very carefully and required to independently verify their employment and hours logged.

That said, as someone said on another thread, if you want to convert an SA licence to a JAA one, it will cost you the best part of R250,000!!
 
Old 2nd Mar 2001, 06:24
  #86 (permalink)  
B Sousa
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R250,000 to convert a license is insane. Its so very typical of the mindset in Africa and Europe. Its also one reason many come to the states for a U.S. License.
I helped a friend from SA with his helicopter license. He had an SA commercial.
I think the total expense he put out for exams, flight time and check ride were around $2500-3000 U.S. Biggest expense was the Bell 206
Consider also he is a great pilot with experience. Anyway he know holds an FAA Commercial.
 
Old 3rd Mar 2001, 12:12
  #87 (permalink)  
The Guvnor
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The problem though is that he still won't be able to work in any JAA country with an FAA licence - they regard it as a very inferior bit of paper! Still, it should work in parts of Africa (SA CAA not too keen on them either); South America and Asia.
 
Old 6th Mar 2001, 11:48
  #88 (permalink)  
mutt
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Guv,

You never cease to amaze me with your audacity, you claim to have flown 4000 hrs in a B707 without a pilot’s licence!

How can you therefore pass comment on the Magnificent 8?

Confused.

Mutt
 
Old 6th Mar 2001, 13:40
  #89 (permalink)  
The Guvnor
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Mutt - I didn't say that it was without a licence - it was. It was a Nigerian ATPL, which the SA DCA (as it was) refused to convert to a South Afican one! I was told they would accept my logged hours, but I had to start again from PPL level and do the exams on the other licences (CPL and ALTP).
 
Old 6th Mar 2001, 16:49
  #90 (permalink)  
Wiz
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Up in the Air courtesy of Carte Blanche

Click above for the full story. Here are some snippets:

Vicky Buxton: "I don’t think that we did try and hide anything or sit on anything at all...

Trevor Abrahams: "There was an instrument flight plan and you will see I was not the pilot, it was the pilot in command."

Coleman: "Like I said, they had the requisite qualifications to serve as First officers, not captains, they weren’t serving as Captains so it’s an issue of their integrity, not of the safety…"
 
Old 11th Mar 2001, 13:25
  #91 (permalink)  
The Guvnor
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Red face

And it's not only pilots with dodgy tickets! This from today's UK Sunday Times:

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Trade in bogus captain's tickets puts
sea safety at risk

Maurice Chittenden


FOR £3,000 and a passport photograph, David Cockcroft has
bought the right to captain an ocean liner or navigate an oil
tanker through the English Channel. Panama, the world's
biggest "flag of convenience" country, has made him a
mail-order first mate.

It will be less of a convenience for any passengers: the last
time Cockroft was in charge of a vessel, he was rowing it at
secondary school.

The certificate was bought by Cockroft, the secretary-general of
the London-based International Transport Workers' Federation,
from a corrupt Panamanian official through an intermediary. It
allows him to take control of a ship when the captain is asleep
or unwell.

The ease of its purchase - all Cockroft had to do was supply
his date of birth and address - highlights a growing racket in the
sale of certificates to ships' officers with bogus credentials.

Numast, the 18,700-strong union of British ships' officers,
estimates that one in 10 such certificates worldwide is
fraudulent. The Seafarers' International Research Centre (SIRC)
at the University of Wales has amassed a list of 12,635 cases
in the past five years where people have obtained forged or
bogus credentials. It admits there are likely to be many more.

An investigation by The Sunday Times has discovered that:

A British seaman forged a UK certificate as a low-ranking
deck officer and used it to obtain a master's licence from
Barbados. He was captaining a Barbadian cargo ship when he
was arrested by Northumbria police and fined £1,000.

Five of the 12 ships detained in British ports by the Maritime
and Coastguard Agency in January had officers with the wrong
certification. One ship was allowed to sail only after its Filipino
officers were replaced.

A machine stolen from the US Coastguard's office in Puerto
Rico was used to "authorise" up to 500 officers' licences.

Panama is investigating claims that two companies in Manila
were issuing up to 300 fraudulent certficates a day to Filipino
seamen, allegedly with help from Panamanian consulate
officials.

Ironically, the scandal has escalated because of an
international initiative to improve the standard of ships' officers.
A new level of certification agreed in 1995 comes into effect
next February. Junior officers are keen to obtain the "right"
paperwork without undergoing training costing up to £36,000
over three years.

At the same time there is a growing shortage of ships' officers
compared with other ratings. There are 404,000 ships' officers
worldwide and 823,000 ratings, but the demand, according to
the International Shipping Federation, is for 420,000 officers
and 599,000 ratings.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the
London-based United Nations agency that regulates world
shipping, is to discuss the bogus certificate scandal at the next
meeting of its safety committee.

Critics say it has been slow to act because its funding comes
from its 158 member states, based on the size of their fleets.
Panama, with almost 10,000 ships, pays 17% of its £18m
annual budget.

Andrew Linington, a spokesman for Numast, said: "The IMO
has produced a 'white list' of states entitled to issue the new
certification. It is more a whitewash. Some, including Panama,
are among the worst offenders."

Panama has launched an inquiry into the ease with which a
non-sailor like Cockroft could obtain his certificate. Jaime
Beitia, of the Panama maritime authority, said 22 staff, 90% of
its licensing department, had been sent home on enforced
leave while the investigation was carried out. Up to 100
certificates are issued every day in Panama.

Cockcroft, whose federation has waged war on flags of
convenience for more than 50 years, said: "The last time I was
on a ship it was a cross-Channel ferry and I was a passenger.
Giving me a first officer's certificate is like giving a Nobel peace
prize to Saddam Hussein."
</font>
 
Old 16th Mar 2001, 11:21
  #92 (permalink)  
Springbokkie
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Bussiness Day today:

PRETORIA Transport Minister Dullah Omar said yesterday he would raise "his concerns" about the arrest of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) CEO Trevor Abrahams with the ministers of safety and security and justice.

"I will ask for the circumstances of his arrest, why the arrest took place, what evidence was available when the arrest was effected, who ordered the arrest, the way investigations have been conducted and the interaction with certain Afrikaans newspapers, to be investigated in a transparent manner," Omar said at a briefing where he announced the reinstatement of Abrahams as commissioner of civil aviation.

The reinstatement came after charges of fraud and corruption against Abrahams were withdrawn in the Pretoria Commercial Crime Court yesterday.

The CAA board was still considering Abrahams' situation last night after the charges against him were withdrawn.

"As the police investigation proceeded, it became clear that there was no case against Mr Abrahams in respect of those charges, which then fell away," Omar said.

At the time of his arrest, Abrahams was assisting a review panel in an inquiry into the charges. He had requested Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi and the National Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka to assist in the inquiry, Omar said.

"Two days before the person appointed by (Ngcuka) was due to start at the enquiry, Mr Abrahams was arrested."

The panel reviewed an investigation launched in March by the CAA's legal adviser Khalatse Marobela into claims by former pilot Louis Maloma that eight pilots had obtained their licences illegally after having access to examination papers.

Omar questioned why such a highly placed person was arrested without there being any kind of credible evidence indicating collusion or guilt.

He said there had been the regular leaks of information about the progress of Abrahams's case to a certain newspaper he did not mention.

The Democratic Alliance said it was shocked by the court's decision to drop charges against Abrahams.
 
Old 16th Mar 2001, 11:32
  #93 (permalink)  
Springbokkie
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NOT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST?????

Charges of fraud and corruption against Civil Aviation Authority head Trevor Abrahams were withdrawn after it was found that it might not be in the public interest to prosecute him, the office of the national director of public prosecutions (NDPP) said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Sipho Ngwema said Abrahams' defence team had made representations to the NDPP.

The NDPP had examined the evidence thoroughly and consulted the head of the office for serious economic offences.

"With the representations in mind, it was decided it was not necessarily in the public interest to proceed with the prosecution of Mr Abrahams," Ngwema said. The charges against Abrahams were withdrawn in the Pretoria commercial crimes court earlier on Thursday.

Abrahams asked to be relieved of his duties in those positions after his arrest in June last year, along with a number of pilots and other CAA officials, on charges of fraud and corruption related to the alleged buying and selling of pilot's licence examination papers.

He subsequently wrote a letter to the board of the CAA, asking to be relieved of his duties as CEO, pending the outcome of the court case.

He made a similar request to Transport Minister Dullah Omar, regarding his position as commissioner of civil aviation, and was subsequently suspended from both posts.

Abrahams said on Thursday he would ask for his suspension to be lifted.

"I am very happy this has come to an end."

The withdrawal of the charges had confirmed what he and his legal team had been arguing all along, he said, that there was no basis for the charges.

He would also consult his lawyers about possible legal steps against the state for his arrest.

"Clearly there was unwarranted action on their part."

Abrahams said he was not given any reason whatsoever for the withdrawal.

The transport minister would make a statement later on Thursday regarding Abrahams's reinstatement as commissioner of civil aviation, said Mike Mabasa, a ministry spokesperson. - Sapa

and
Transport Minister Dullah Omar on Thursday said he was seriously concerned about the arrest of Civil Aviation Authority chief executive officer Trevor Abrahams.

"The question arises why such a highly placed person... was arrested on such serious charges without there being available any kind of credible evidence indicating possible collusion or guilt," Omar said in Pretoria.

He would raise the matter with the ministers of justice and of safety and security.

"I will ask for the circumstances of the arrest, why the arrest took place, who ordered the arrest, the way the investigations have been conducted over many months and the interaction with a certain Afrikaans newspaper to be investigated in a transparent manner."

Charges of fraud and corruption related to the buying and selling of pilot's licence examination papers were withdrawn against Abrahams in the Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria on Thursday morning.

He was arrested along with more CAA officials and a number of pilots in June last year.

Omar said the charges were very serious, and the investigation dragged on for over eight months.

"As the investigation proceeded, it became clear that there was no case against Mr Abrahams in respect of those charges, which then fell away.

"However, the investigating officer pursued further wide-ranging investigations to ascertain whether other crimes had been committed - giving the impression of a fishing expedition in a desperate bid to get some or other charge to stick."

Omar pointed out that prior to his arrest, Abrahams had helped to set up an enquiry into pilot licence fraud.

"He... had in fact requested the Commissioner of Police and the National Director of Public Prosecution to assist in the enquiry."

The NDPP had appointed a member of his office to assist, but Abrahams was arrested two days before that person could start. Neither the commissioner nor the NDPP knew anything about the arrest, and were surprised to hear about it, Omar said.

"It appears that Abrahams, as chief executive officer of the CAA and Commissioner of Civil Aviation, had been involved in some kind of stand-off with police airwings, who at the time refused to submit themselves to the jurisdiction of the CAA.

"I am mindful of the fact that the arrest of ... Mr Abrahams must have resulted in terrible humiliation, anguish and suffering for himself and his family.

"For a person holding such a high position, the arrest and allegations undoubtedly caused considerable damage to his good name and reputation."

Omar said one would expect at least some credible evidence to exist before such a person was arrested. That did not mean that highly placed people were entitled to special treatment.

Police were entitled to act in the case of any person who had committed a crime or when there was prima facie evidence that he/she had done so.

Omar reinstated Abrahams as commissioner of civil aviation with immediate effect.

He said the board of the CAA was also considering reinstating Abrahams as its CEO, in the light of the withdrawal of the charges.

The CAA last year set up an independent panel to probe the allegations of pilot's licence fraud. In August, more than a month after the arrests, it said it had found the claims to be unsubstantiated.

It did, however, find that Abrahams' South African private pilot's licence included an instrument rating which was issued irregularly.

He had undergone the flight test, but not the theoretical examination required.

Abrahams had allegedly once undertaken a flight for which an instrument rating was required before the irregularity was corrected.

It was also found that his commercial pilot's licence issued by the Federal Aviation Authority in the United States had incorrectly indicated that he had a twin-engine rating, while in fact he had a single-engine rating. The FAA later corrected the rating.

Abrahams never flew commercially in South Africa.

The panel recommended that the CAA board should reprimand Abrahams or take steps it deemed necessary against him. At the time, the board said it would wait for the outcome of the court case.

This was also its attitude when a review panel concluded in January this year that Abrahams had breached aviation regulations by delaying reporting a landing incident involving a plane he was piloting.

According to Abrahams the aircraft, which had four passengers, veered violently to the left on landing at the Rand Airport in July 1999, and two tyres were punctured when he braked sharply. He said he only reported it the next morning, as there were no personnel on duty at the airport.

Asked on Thursday whether these findings would have any influence on Abrahams' position as commissioner, Omar said he expected the CAA board to deal with the matter.

According to Abrahams, the board was expected to meet on Thursday night. - Sapa

 
Old 16th Mar 2001, 11:37
  #94 (permalink)  
Springbokkie
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And just to divert from the TA saga:

A former SA Airways pilot convicted of buying licence examination papers again failed to arrive at the Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria on Thursday morning to be sentenced.

It was suspected that Issayah Dominicus Nombo, 42, had fled the country, probably using false travel documents, state advocate Glynnis Breytenbach said.

Nombo's bail was finally estreated on Thursday. A warrant for his arrest was authorised two weeks ago when he first failed to turn up for sentencing.

Last year Louis Maloma, who was convicted on similar charges, also fled the country before he could be sentenced.

Magistrate Mario Jungbluth last month convicted Nombo on charges of fraud and corruption relating to the buying of Airline Transport Pilot's licence (ATPL) examination papers, and acquitted him on three more charges.

Brandon Harris, formerly an official at the Department of Transport, testified he had sold the examination papers for the ATPL, which a pilot needs to serve as a captain on an international airline, to Nombo in 1997 for
R7 000.

This was at the request of Maloma.

Harris also ensured that Nombo wrote that same set of papers, and when he failed one of them, sold another to him for R500.

The scam surrounding the selling and buying of ATPL examination papers surfaced in March last year when Maloma made a statement mentioning the names of eight pilots, including Nombo's.

A number of pilots, as well as Harris, another Civil Aviation Authority official and CAA chief executive officer Trevor Abrahams were arrested on similar charges.

Maloma pleaded guilty on charges of fraud and corruption last year, but fled before he could be sentenced. He is still at large.

Harris was convicted on such charges in August after pleading guilty. He was sentenced to three years' correctional supervision, a year's imprisonment or a R20 000 fine.

A further six-year jail sentence was suspended for five years.

All charges against Abrahams were withdrawn on Thursday. No reason was given for the withdrawal. - Sapa

 
Old 16th Mar 2001, 15:41
  #95 (permalink)  
flyingwigwam
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So it's OK now to fly in IMC without an instrument rating (well the head of our CAA does so it MUST be alright.) Think of all the money I am going to save on renewals. Pity I didn't know about this before wasting all that money on my commercial, night, instrument and instructors ratings - could have saved loads.

The rot continues.
 
Old 16th Mar 2001, 17:17
  #96 (permalink)  
WildFrequency
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Flyingwigwam.....must agree with you could have saved thousands on flying training, only problem is if us pilots do what the boss did, we'll be caught and prosecuted. Called not having enough friends in high places.....

[This message has been edited by WildFrequency (edited 16 March 2001).]

[This message has been edited by WildFrequency (edited 16 March 2001).]
 
Old 16th Mar 2001, 17:28
  #97 (permalink)  
WildFrequency
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"NOT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST"????? What utter rubbish is this? I personally find it VERY interesting to know that whoever flies me around is a properly qualified pilot. I also find it of interest to know that the Civil Aviation Authority will uphold aviation law and safety standards as they are charged to do, amongst other things!
 
Old 16th Mar 2001, 17:33
  #98 (permalink)  
WildFrequency
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"NOT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST"????? What utter rubbish is this? I personally find it VERY interesting to know that whoever flies me around is a properly qualified pilot. I also find it of interest to know that the Civil Aviation Authority will uphold aviation law and safety standards as they are charged to do, amongst other things!

One must remember that Trevor's charges were withdrawn, meaning there was probably not enough evidence to convict him. This does not mean he was never involved in the ATP scam. Can he still be charged on his breaches of the ANR's?

 
Old 16th Mar 2001, 18:32
  #99 (permalink)  
Wiz
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Thumbs down

WildFrequency

It's important to remember this is not an innocent verdict. What this means is that a politician thinks it'd be a bad idea to go ahead with the case. There are many reasons the politician might think this... one that springs to mind is perhaps someone's got some dirt on him. This has been mentioned before on this thread.

The politician said: "not necesserily in the public interest". Another way of saying the same thing is "not necesserily not in the public interest." The two statements are equivalent since 'not necesserily' is an exercise in vagueness.

As for the ANRs - nothing doing there. Either they (CAA) proceed against him or not as they prefer. But the CARs are a different matter. There is one person who can't break the CARs and get away with it - Ol' Trev.

It seems that if CAA don't charge him with breaking the CARs then they commit an offence. The person charged in this case is Ol' Trev. If they do charge him then... well you get the picture.
 
Old 16th Mar 2001, 20:28
  #100 (permalink)  
The Guvnor
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And now he gets his job back as well?!?

After this, I don't see a South African licence being worth much more than used loo-paper!

Doesn't the government understand that when they do things like this, SA ends up with the same credibility rating as countries like the DRC and Zimbabwe? Or is it simply a case that they couldn't give a f*ck??
 

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