The national director of public prosecutions (NDPP) advocate Shamila Batohi has defended the head of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac), advocate Andrea Johnson, over allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Batohi appeared before parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating Mkhwanazi’s allegations on Tuesday.
She was asked about the arrest of crime intelligence boss Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo and his co-accused in June. Mkhwanazi had claimed the arrest was an attempt to disrupt criminal investigations in Gauteng.
I urge we don’t make bold allegations without any evidence to support it.
— National director of public prosecutions advocate Shamila Batohi
Batohi said she believes Johnson would never effect an arrest to protect criminals.
“That is a very dangerous allegation to make, that a law enforcement agency mandated to deal with corruption and other related offences would effect an arrest to protect drug cartels,” Batohi said.
“I have no doubt the Idac would never, advocate Johnson would never be motivated [to do that]. She’s a woman of integrity, and I have no doubt she would never effect an arrest like this to protect drug cartels.
“I can lay my head on the block that Johnson will never allow or be in any way inclined to act in that manner.
“I want to dispel that notion very strongly, that that would have been the motivation for the arrest in this matter.”
In her testimony before the committee last week, Johnson dismissed allegations that there are rogue elements at Idac and speculation surrounding Khumalo’s arrest. She said she wasn’t aware Khumalo was part of the political killings task team when they made the arrest.
Batohi told the committee: “There’s no rogue unit in Idac. If there’s any evidence to that effect, I would like to have the evidence. I urge we don’t make bold allegations without any evidence to support it. I would welcome the evidence because as a national director I would not want people who are behaving contrary to our code of conduct.”
She said she was taken aback by Mkhwanazi’s allegations on July 6, adding she has never approached Mkhwanazi or any police officer to get details but plans to consult with national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola.
“Given that we have testified, I will address a letter to the national commissioner seeking details so we can understand what’s going on and take necessary action.”
Batohi urged Mkhwanazi to provide evidence to back his allegations.
“It would be good to understand the person who made the allegation, the basis for that, so if there’s any chance it might be true, I get the information and we can deal with it. I have no doubt that is an incorrect speculation.”
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