Former prosecutor case postponed
The former prosecutor is accused of taking a case docket against a man charged with possession of stolen possessions and removing crucial evidence from it.
The case against a 48-year-old former prosecutor charged with defeating the ends of justice has been postponed to February 8.
According to NPA North West spokesperson Henry Mamothame, the former prosecutor is accused of taking the case docket against a man charged with possession of suspected stolen property on August 27, 2020, and removing crucial evidence from it.
“She was found driving an unregistered vehicle, failing to produce legal documentation, and she allegedly omitted information from the docket to favour the accused. Her alleged misconduct ultimately resulted in the release of the suspect and the matter being struck off the roll,” he said.
He said the docket was ultimately found following an audit of court cases.
He added that the omissions were noted with her signature authorising the release of the suspect.
“It is also alleged that she was not scheduled to report for duty on that day,” he said, adding that a duplicate docket the chief prosecutor kept had to be utilised to re-enrol the case.
“Police are still searching for the suspect in that matter,” he said.
He said the Ga-Rankuwa district court adjourned the case against the former prosecutor for disclosures and appointment of a presiding officer.
“The state is expected to provide the accused’s attorney with all the documents before pre-trial conferencing,” he said.
A presiding officer not from the court the prosecutor worked at would be appointed.
“This move is appropriate to avoid misconceptions of bias, as the accused was a state prosecutor in the cluster where the case will be sitting,” he said.
He said the state is ready to proceed with the disclosures with the accused’s new legal representative, as the previous one was withdrawn.
“She will remain out on warning and is expected back in court on the set date.”
The accused ceased to be an employee of the National Prosecuting Authority in September 2022, after tendering her resignation while on suspension.
North West Director of Public Prosecutions Dr Rachel Makhari Sekhaolelo instructed all processes to be followed before the start of the trial.
“We should ensure that all processes are followed accurately to avoid unnecessary delays, which may be misconstrued as bias,” Sekhaolelo said.
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