Jiba’s lawyers to lay complain with Ombudsman against media houses

Lawyers for suspended NPA Advocate Nomgcobo Jiba say they will approach the Press Ombudsman to lay a formal complaint against media houses that labelled their client as a spy.

Advocate Zola Majavu has lambasted the media for what he calls sensational reporting. He told the Mokgoro Enquiry in Pretoria, which is currently probing suspended NPA senior advocates Jiba and Lawrence Mrwebi fitness to hold office.

Jiba’s lawyers have told the enquiry that they’re not necessarily implicating Colonel Kobus Roelofse.

Roelofse has concluded his cross examination.

However last week, Asset Forfeiture Unit head, Willie Hofmeyr told the enquiry that in his unit they worked with people who appeared to be spying on others. However, he did not mention any names.

Majavu says they’re disturbed by the reports.

“It is something that I’m taking with the Ombudsman because there are serious consequences in our culture for one to be labelled as a spy. To Colonel Roelodse, I just want to confirm with him that is not what his evidence was. We just leave it at and I am not making an issue out of it. It’s only fair for him and to protect my client’s interests.”

Majavu has confirmed that former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi will appear before the enquiry at a date yet to be determined. During his testimony at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, Agrizzi alleged that Jiba received bribes in order to block investigations.

Majavu says they welcome the chance to cross-examine Agrizzi.

“We expressly said we would like him to come to this enquiry. So we were told yesterday that he is going to come. What the evidence leaders and ourselves are busy grappling with is just around the dates. Of course, we welcome the opportunity to cross examine Mr Agrizzi.”

The enquiry has also listened to the conclusion of senior police officer, Kobus Roelofse’s testimony.

Roelofse has reiterated that prosecutorial interference by among others, Mrwebi, derailed investigations into some high-profile cases that he was handling. They include the 2011 fraud case against former Crime Intelligence head, Richard Mdluli.

He was cross-examined by Mrwebi’s lawyer, Ruthuga Ramawele on the interference.

“And the subsequent letters that he wrote. You remember the first memo that he wrote saying no matter there’s a case or not, the probe cannot continue. And he followed that up and said the investigation is finalised. He also said he had a problem how dockets were confiscated with interference there. So, those are some of the things that he said. That all interfered in the investigation.”

Ramwele has refuted Roelofse’s testimony in this regard. Ramawele has also sought clarity in relation to Roelofse’s evidence that Mdluli was involved in the purchase of a fleet of police vehicles from a private dealer while still head of Crime Intelligence.

Meanwhile, Jiba’s lawyers have criticised head of Asset Forfeiture Unit, Willie Hofmeyr, for alleging that their client, Jiba, manipulated cases for political interest. They accused him for playing a role in dropping fraud charges against former president Jacob Zuma in April 2009.