Trials in limbo as top prosecutor quits

Former SA National Prosecuting Authority boss Shaun Abrahams has resigned as Lesotho’s top prosecutor over a lack of pay. His resignation puts the high-profile trials he has been prosecuting in serious limbo. Legalbrief reports that the advocate in 2018 left his position as SA’s National Director of Public Prosecutions after the Constitutional Court declared his appointment unlawful. Judge President Dunstan Mlambo ruled that Abrahams was biased in his dealings with former President Jacob Zuma and that then Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa should appoint a replacement within 60 days because Zuma was 'conflicted'. Lesotho’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Hlalefang Motinyane, has approached the High Court (Maseru) to give her an extension to convince Abrahams not to quit. The Lesotho Times reports that Abrahams this week told the court he was withdrawing from all five high profile cases that he had been handling over ‘administrative and professional differences’ with his client, the Government of Lesotho. A source said the government initially pledged to pay him $1 700 per appearance ‘and he agreed because he was engaged for several trials which would run for a long time’.

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