National Prosecuting Authority
The Public Protector, Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane, appeared briefly in the Pretoria Regional Court on Thursday morning where she was charged with three counts of perjury.
A spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Sipho Ngwema says it is alleged that Adv Mkhwebane lied under oath in November 2017, when she unlawfully and intentionally deposed to an answering affidavit, under oath, in a Gauteng High Court review application.
He says in this particular affidavit the Public Protector declared that she only had one meeting with President Jacob Zuma, which was on 25 April 2017, whilst knowing that the declaration was false.
According to the State, Adv Mkhwebane also lied under oath a few months later in April 2018, in support of her application for direct access or leave to appeal to the Constitutional Court.
Ngwema says also, on 5 June 2018, she unlawfully and intentionally deposed under oath to a replying affidavit in her application declaring that she did not discuss the final report/new remedial action with President Zuma whilst knowing that it was not true.
Mkhwebane, who is represented by Advocate Dali Mpofu, will be back in court on the 25th of March.
