Pretoria - The inquiry into the fitness to hold office of the suspended deputy national director of public prosecutions, Nomgcobo Jiba, heard that she allegedly used her powers to prosecute those who were seen to be an obstruction to former President Jacob Zuma.
“She was starting to play political games with cases," said current deputy NDPP Willie Hofmeyr on Thursday.
He was testifying at the Mokgoro Inquiry, mandated to investigate the fitness of Jiba and suspended special director of public prosecutions Lawrence Mrwebi to hold office.
Hofmeyr made references to cases against Anwa Dramat, Shadrack Sibiya, Robert McBride, Pravin Gordhan and Glynnis Breytenbach.
He said the cases were usually instituted in a blaze of publicity and usually withdrawn or discharged.
"Once you start manipulating the outcome of cases to please politicians, that ends up being a problem for the NPA."
Hofmeyr said it was extremely difficult to have people working in the NPA who were either spying on the organisation to relay information to the accused or trying to sabotage the NPA from within.
He also said Jiba and Mrewbi allegedly played a pivotal role in assisting in the arrest of advocate Gerrie Nel in 2008.
This was allegedly to delay the prosecution of former national police commissioner Jackie Selebi.
Hofmeyr said he suspected that Jiba had a grudge against Nel because he had prosecuted her husband, advocate Booker Nhantsi, who was convicted of theft from a client's trust fund in 2005. Nhantsi was also a member of the since-disbanded Scorpions, precursor to the Hawks.
Nhantsi was later pardoned by former president Jacob Zuma.