Heat+back+on+prosecution+bosses,+wa+ka+Ngobeni+and+Lubisi,+S+Times

Sunday Times, Johannesburg, 21 January 2007
=Heat back on prosecution bosses=


 * Wisani wa ka Ngobeni and Dumisane Lubisi**

JUSTICE Department bosses have decided to reinstate disciplinary action against National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) chief executive Marion Sparg and her two deputies.

The department had decided on Wednesday to withdraw the charges against Sparg, her deputy Beryl Simelane and Integrity Management head Dipuo Mvelase.

The three have been on special leave since November pending the outcome of the disciplinary inquiry. The hearing was scheduled to start on Wednesday this week but the department was not ready to proceed and the charges were withdrawn.

The withdrawal of the charges meant that the three were supposed to return to work tomorrow.

Their joy was short-lived when on Friday the Justice Department notified them that the charges against them would be reinstated.

Shamima Gaibie, the lawyer representing them, confirmed yesterday that her clients had been served with new notices of disciplinary charges on Friday.

Gaibie said the department had taken more than 10 months to take the charges against her clients to a hearing.

“On Wednesday, when the hearing was supposed to start, the department offered my clients a deal in which the three would admit to certain charges in exchange for a written warning,” she said.

Gaibie said her clients rejected the deal and insisted on proceeding with the hearing.

According to a draft charge sheet drawn up by the Department of Justice and submitted to the Office of the State Attorney, the officials were to face charges of tender-rigging, misappropriation of funds and financial misconduct.

However, this week Gaibie insisted that the charges related only to “administrative issues”.

Justice Department spokesman Zolile Nqayi refused to discuss the charges but confirmed that they had been reinstated.


 * From: http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/PrintEdition/News/Article.aspx?id=363410**

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