Breytenbach was biased, lawyer claims
ICT lawyer Ronnie Mendelow says prosecutor Glynnis Breytenbach was biased towards Kumba.
ICT lawyer Ronnie Mendelow says prosecutor Glynnis Breytenbach was biased towards Kumba. Picture: Werner Beukes/SAPA
Richard Mdluli,National Prosecuting Authority,Glynnis Breytenbach,Breytenbach disciplinary hearing,Breytenbach suspension,Breytenbach,Mike Hellens,Ronnie Mendelow,Selby Mbenenge
Local
Politics
Mandy Wiener |
14/01/2013
PRETORIA - The lawyer who laid the complaint against suspended prosecutor Glynnis Breytenbach on Monday said her improper conduct was disingenuously disguised in a legal document.
Breytenbach's disciplinary hearing resumed under a new chairperson, Selby Mbenenge, in Pretoria, five months after it was halted.
The prosecutor, who was the head of the National Prosecuting Authority’s specialised commercial crime unit, was suspended in April last year, apparently because of her handling of the Sishen Mining rights case.
But she insists it was an attempt by her bosses to stop the prosecution of controversial policeman Richard Mdluli.
Imperial Crown Trading (ICT)'s lawyer Ronnie Mendelow resumed his testimony after Mbenenge ruled that the hearing would not have to start from scratch.
Mendelow laid a complaint against Breytenbach, claiming she showed bias towards Mike Hellens, the advocate representing Kumba Iron Ore, the complainant in the Sishen Mining Rights case.
Mendelow said Hellens improperly drew up affidavits on behalf of the investigating officer.
“It’s a highly improper degree of involvement. It was for that reason that the affidavits were so one-sided.”
He added that Hellens's involvement was disingenuously disguised in the police officers' legal affidavit.