City Power denies obstructing Hawks' probe after court victory

City Power has rejected allegations that it is trying to obstruct the Hawks' ongoing investigation into questionable contracts at the utility, following a successful court challenge against the crime-busting unit.

Earlier this week, City Power approached the Gauteng High Court, challenging the legality of a recent search and seizure operation at its headquarters.

The court ruled in the utility's favour on Thursday, finding that the search warrant obtained by the Hawks was defective. The Hawks have been investigating several City Power contracts believed to be irregular.

READ: City Power slams Hawks' raid as 'abuse of power' after court rules warrant unlawful

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena says the utility does not oppose the investigation but takes issue with what it calls the Hawks’ "disregard for due process."

"We are pleased that the court upheld our applications and agreed with our view that the affidavit on which the Hawks relied was not only defective but also careless,"Mangena said. "You cannot raid a public institution based on a document that is neither commissioned properly nor grounded in fact. We see this as a fishing expedition disguised as an investigation."