More than heat for Jiba, Mrwebi
Booysen takes off the gloves as they’re struck off roll
SUSPENDED KwaZuluNatal Hawks head Johan Booysen has laid into beleaguered deputy prosecutions head Nomgcobo Jiba and her “cronies” for placing the criminal justice system under siege.
Jiba and specialised commercial crimes unit head Lawrence Mrwebi were struck off the roll of advocates on Thursday because of how they dealt with the charges against suspended crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli. Yesterday they were placed on special leave pending the outcome of their appeal.
The high court in Pretoria handed down a ruling against Jiba and Mrwebi after an application by the General Council of the Bar of South Africa on the pair’s conduct during three high-profile and political cases.
The cases were between the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and Freedom Under Law on the decision to drop corruption charges against Mdluli, the so-called Jacob Zuma spy tapes, and their handling of Booysen’s case.
In his ruling, Judge Francis Legodi effectively put an end to Jiba and Mrwebi’s careers as advocates and sounded a death knell for their jobs as head honchos in the NPA.
Booysen, who has published a book titled Blood on their Hands, which trashes the NPA’s top brass under Jiba and Mrwebi, said he has been vindicated by Legodi’s judgment on the pair who tormented him.
His book covers his five-year on-again-off-again prosecution attempts over alleged racketeering as head of the now-disbanded Cato Manor Serious and Violent Crimes Unit.
The unit, set up to probe cash-in-transit heists, ATM bombings and robberies, was allegedly involved in the killings of innocent people but Booysen claimed as provincial head of Hawks he was not involved operationally.
He said he ensured that every shooting reported was investigated. “I wrote the book to set the record straight. I wanted to prove that there was no death squad, that there was something behind the allegations.” His comments came after former NPA head Mxolisi Nxasana also said he was vindicated by the ruling against Jiba and Mrwebi. He said he had repeatedly asked that they be suspended for misconduct.
Booysen details in his book how he crossed paths with prominent political figures, controversial businessmen and even his superiors over his investigations into corruption.