Three quotes from Shaun Abrahams as we bid farewell to the NPA boss

So long‚ Shaun Abrahams...

The Constitutional Court ruled on Monday that he must step down as head of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

The apex court ruled that he was invalidly appointed because former president Jacob Zuma had illegally “bought” Mxolisi Nxasana out of office with a massive payout. Abrahams is no stranger to controversy. During his tenure at the helm of the NPA‚ he has endured his fair share of criticism from those who suggested he was appointed as a lackey to ensure that Zuma was not prosecuted. Abrahams has denied this repeatedly.

Here are three quotes from Abrahams during his time in the hot seat at the NPA:

• “What if this decision was made by a judge? What if this decision was made by the public protector? Would your reaction have been the same? The days of disrespecting decisions of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) are over… The days of non-accountability and not holding senior government officials accountable are over.”

On October 11 2016‚ Abrahams announced that the NPA would prosecute the finance minister at the time‚ Pravin Gordhan‚ on fraud charges. When asked about the timing of the announcement to prosecute Gordhan and two former colleagues at the South African Revenue Service‚ Oupa Magashula and Ivan Pillay‚ Abrahams repeatedly denied that the NPA was captured.

• “I am of the view that there are reasonable prospects of a successful prosecution of Zuma in the charges listed in the indictment.”

On March 16 2018‚ Abrahams announced that former president Jacob Zuma would go on trial for the 2009 charges against him related to government's controversial arms deal in the late 1990s. Zuma faces 16 charges involving 783 incidents of racketeering‚ corruption‚ money laundering and fraud. Abrahams had long been accused of “shielding” Zuma from prosecution.

• “I don’t make the decisions as to who should be arrested and who should not be arrested.”

Abrahams denied in parliament in March that the NPA was delaying state capture investigations when he was addressing the portfolio committees on justice and police‚ along with acting Hawks head Lieutenant-General Yolisa Matakata.