Public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane on Thursday stepped into the dock of the Pretoria regional court.
Dressed in a red suit, she seemed oblivious to the media contingent around her and casually engaged in conversation with her lawyer, Dali Mpofu.
The case was swiftly postponed to March 25.
Mkhwebane stands accused of lying about meeting former president Jacob Zuma on three occasions where the provisional and final Absa-Bankorp report and recommendations were allegedly discussed.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in December charged Mkhwebane with perjury after the findings of the Constitutional Court in her case against the Reserve Bank.
The Constitutional Court found that Mkhwebane had “put forward a number of falsehoods” in her 2017 Absa-Bankorp report, in which she found that Absa must repay R1.1bn to the Reserve Bank for the “lifeboat” lending agreement between the Reserve Bank and the then Bankorp, which was later taken over by Absa.
Head of Accountability Now Paul Hoffman had in 2019 laid criminal charges against Mkhwebane after the Constitutional Court judgment.
TimesLIVE
Public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane in dock, accused of lying under oath
Image: Alaister Russell/The Sunday Times
Public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane on Thursday stepped into the dock of the Pretoria regional court.
Dressed in a red suit, she seemed oblivious to the media contingent around her and casually engaged in conversation with her lawyer, Dali Mpofu.
The case was swiftly postponed to March 25.
Mkhwebane stands accused of lying about meeting former president Jacob Zuma on three occasions where the provisional and final Absa-Bankorp report and recommendations were allegedly discussed.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in December charged Mkhwebane with perjury after the findings of the Constitutional Court in her case against the Reserve Bank.
The Constitutional Court found that Mkhwebane had “put forward a number of falsehoods” in her 2017 Absa-Bankorp report, in which she found that Absa must repay R1.1bn to the Reserve Bank for the “lifeboat” lending agreement between the Reserve Bank and the then Bankorp, which was later taken over by Absa.
Head of Accountability Now Paul Hoffman had in 2019 laid criminal charges against Mkhwebane after the Constitutional Court judgment.
TimesLIVE
LISTEN | Charges against Busisiwe Mkhwebane 'frivolous and contrived' - Dali Mpofu
Subscribe for free: iono.fm | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Pocket Casts | Player.fm
Mkhwebane's sabbatical granted on condition she is available to deal with process to remove her from office
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Related articles
Latest Videos