/ 18 June 2012

Suspended NPA prosecutor Breytenbach hearing due to start

Suspended NPA prosecutor Glynnis Breytenbach.
Suspended NPA prosecutor Glynnis Breytenbach.

“I can confirm it is proceeding tomorrow at 10am,” NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said on Monday.

The hearing would take place at the NPA’s headquarters in Silverton, Pretoria.

Breytenbach, the NPA’s regional head for the specialised commercial crime unit, was suspended in May for her conduct in handling one of the cases allocated to her.

Breytenbach is accused of abusing her power in a probe into a fraud charge laid by iron ore mining company Kumba against Imperial Crown Trading (ICT), and of not following orders to stop the investigation.

The NPA rejected media speculation that the hearing was related to dropped fraud and murder charges against former crime intelligence head Lieutenat General Richard Mdluli.

Last week, Beeld newspaper reported that the NPA was accusing Breytenbach of causing irreparable harm to its image.

Breytenbach argued in court documents submitted to the labour court in Johannesburg that the NPA had “ulterior motives” when it suspended her, the newspaper reported.

The NPA contended that Breytenbach knew her suspension was related to her alleged abuse of power in the Kumba/ICT case.

She had allegedly tarnished the NPA’s image and good name. The NPA said the relationship between Breytenbach and her employer had irreparably broken down, an offence for which she may be dismissed if found guilty, Beeld reported. – Sapa