Malicious, sinister and political.
That's how lawyers for former Scorpions director Ayanda Dlodlo, facing charges of swindling the organisation and its confidential informer fund of R30 700, have described the accusations against her.
And her lawyer, Themba Langa, who claims the basis for the charges against the 43-year-old are too sensitive to be heard in open court, is expected to argue that the case should be handled by intelligence authorities.
In an extraordinary statement before Dlodlo's scheduled return to the Pretoria Serious Economic Criminal Court on Thursday, Langa claimed that "such matters cannot be unravelled before a magistrate but can only be done so before the inspector-general of the security establishment".
Langa said the decision to try Dlodlo in a criminal court was "not only misdirected but also creates a risk of undermining the privilege and security that the source enjoys in return for the provision of information.
"It further creates a dangerous precedent that can only succeed to undermine the intelligence- and information-gathering efforts of security and law enforcement agencies."
Stressing that Dlodlo denied any wrongdoing, Langa said the charges against the former director were "untenable" because they "emanated from a handler and source relationship which (Dlodlo) had with an informant".
Dlodlo was arrested with the former head of Scorpions operations, Malala Geophrey Ledwaba, 41. He faces 16 counts of defrauding the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and its confidential fund out of R1,02-million.
Dlodlo was given bail of R50 000 and Ledwaba R150 000.
According to police, Dlodlo, who owns two Johannesburg properties worth more than R2-million, was head of department for the Ministry of Safety and Security and for the Gauteng Safety and Security Department. She resigned shortly after the alleged crimes were committed.
It is the state's case that Dlodlo stole R30 700 from the NPA and its confidential fund between November 2003 and March 2004. She allegedly altered a "reward for information" for an informant, known only as MBP, from R50 000 to R80 000.
Langa said the indictment against Dlodlo was "ill-conceived and malicious".
"It goes without saying that the indictment serves as a measure to embarrass Ms Dlodlo and smear her good name."
He said Dlodlo's restrictive bail conditions "reveal the sinister intentions ... as they are not relevant to the charges and can only serve to strengthen the well-founded impression that her indictment is political and sinister".
Police and prosecuting spokespeople on Monday said they could not comment on Langa's statement.
The NPA's Makhosini Nkosi was not aware of the statement by Dlodlo's attorneys.