Batohi says her decision to drop charges against KZN Hawks boss Booysen informed by recommendation from qualified panel

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head Shamila Batohi said that her decision that led to charges against KwaZulu-Natal Hawks boss, Johan Booysen, being dropped was informed by a recommendation from a qualified panel.

Batohi is the main witness in the inquiry into Johannesburg prosecutions boss, Andrew Chauke.

He is accused of making questionable prosecutorial decisions.

While the inquiry is looking into Chauke’s fitness to hold office, Friday’s proceedings were hinged on Batohi’s role in the withdrawal of racketeering charges against Booysen and the Cato Manor organised crime unit.     

When Batohi was appointed in 2019, she set up a panel to review the decision to prosecute Booysen, a decision that was made by a team of prosecutors led by Chauke.

She said that the panel then made recommendations that the racketeering authorisation by former NPA bosses Nomgcobo Jiba and Shaun Abrahams.

"The prosecution instituted against all the accused on the racketeering charges, based on the authorisations issued by the acting NDPP N Jiba and NDPP S Abrahams, as set out above, should be withdrawn."

Batohi said the essence of the allegations against Chauke was that he had no authority to lead the prosecution team into Booysen and the Cato Manor unit because he was the head of prosecutions in Johannesburg and not KZN.