Jiba and Mrwebi given deadline to respond to findings of NPA inquiry

11 April 2019 - 11:58
By QAANITAH HUNTER
Suspended deputy director of public prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba.
Image: EUGENE COETZEE Suspended deputy director of public prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has given the National Prosecuting Authority's Nomgcobo Jiba and Lawrence Mrwebi until April 16 to respond to a report into their fitness to hold office.

In a statement released on Thursday, the presidency said Ramaphosa met retired ConCourt judge Yvonne Mokgoro, who chaired the inquiry, on Wednesday. 

"Having provided the president with the report on April 1, judge Mokgoro used the opportunity ... to present bound copies of the report and the evidence compiled, and to answer any questions of clarity the president may have had on the report," said spokesperson Khusela Diko. 

The inquiry, which held public hearings earlier this year, heard how the two were accused of giving in to political pressure.

Jiba is a deputy national director of public prosecutions while Mrwebi is a special director of public prosecutions. 

"The report of the inquiry will only be publicly released once advocates Jiba and Mrwebi have had an opportunity to consider it [and] make their representations, and the president has considered such representations," said Diko.

Ramaphosa established the Mokgoro commission of inquiry in October 2018 and placed Jiba and Mrwebi on suspension with full pay pending its finalisation. He received the report on April 1 after six weeks of public hearings. 

At the centre of the inquiry are accusations that Jiba and Mrwebi played a role in attempts to derail corruption charges against former police commissioner Jackie Selebi, as well as fraud and corruption charges against former crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli. 

Jiba also came under fire for illegally instituted racketeering charges against former KwaZulu-Natal Hawks boss Johan Booysen.

The pair have denied any wrongdoing.