Top NPA advocate gets court date

The head of the Specialised Commercial Crime Unit received his summons in his office yesterday afternoon. He is scheduled to appear in court on 25 September. Mrwebi allegedly ordered former prosecutor Glynnis Breytenbach to withdraw charges of fraud and corruption against suspended Crime Intelligence head Richard Mdluli and Colonel Heine Barnard knowing that there was a 'strong prima facie case' for prosecution. The state alleges that he interfered unlawfully and inappropriately in that case. The state also alleges that Mrwebi interfered unlawfully in a matter in which the NPA's Nathi Mncube, now the authority's spokesperson, was a prosecutor in May 2011. Mrwebi allegedly approached Mncube about the fraud and corruption trial of Terrence Joubert, apparently a friend of Mrwebi. The case against Joubert and his co-accused was withdrawn after the court refused the NPA a further postponement. Mrwebi then allegedly arranged to have Joubert's case transferred to his unit without consulting Mncube or the investigators. The report adds that a new team of four senior prosecutors is looking at the Mdluli matter. They must submit a report about the possible continuation of prosecution to NPA head Mxolisi Nxasana by 19 September. Full Beeld report