Nomgcobo Jiba
Nomgcobo Jiba was the Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions in South Africa. In September 2016 she was struck off the roll of South African advocates for her role in a number of politically related cases.[1]
Nomgcobo Jiba | |
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Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions of The National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa | |
In office 22 December 2010 – 15 September 2016 | |
Appointed by | President Jacob Zuma |
Preceded by | Menzi Simelane |
Succeeded by | Mxolisi Nxasana |
Personal details | |
Born | Nomgcobo Jiba South Africa |
Alma mater | Damelin College Walter Sisulu University |
Occupation | Prosecutor |
Profession | Lawyer |
Early life and education
Nomgcobo Jiba obtained her LLB from Walter Sisulu University in 1989 and went on to obtain her master's degree in Commercial Law in 1996.[2]
Husband
Jiba's husband, Booker Nhantsi, was convicted of stealing R193,000 from a client's trust fund in 2003 and sentenced to five years in prison, but had his criminal record expunged after he received a presidential pardon from President Jacob Zuma in 2010.[3]
Career
Jiba worked as a prosecutor in Peddie magistrate's court in the Eastern Cape in 1988 going on to also practice in courts at Tsolo and Mthatha. She resigned from government in 1997 to work for the legal firm Qunta Ntsebeza in Cape Town so as to work towards becoming an attorney, qualifying in 1998. In 1999 Jiba worked for Deloitte & Touche as a Senior Forensic Consultant in Pretoria and joined the Investigating Directorate for Serious Economic Offences as a Senior State Advocate. The Investigating Directorate was disbanded in 2001 and replaced by the Scorpions whereupon Jiba was appointed Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions. She was appointed Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions in 2006. After the Scorpions was disbanded she was moved to the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in 2009. In December 2010 Jiba was promoted to Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions at the National Prosecuting Authority, a position that gave her oversight of all prosecutorial decisions made by the state.[2][4]
Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions
On the 15 September 2016 Jiba was struck off the role of advocates by the North Gauteng High Court for her role in the handling of a number of politically related cases.[1] This included the decision to drop corruption charges against former head of the South African Police Service's Crime Intelligence Division Richard Mdluli.[1][5] Other cases include being tried for fraud and perjury in a failed attempt to convict former Hawks official Major General Johan Booysen in 2012.[6] Booysen alleged that Jiba attempted to set him up so as to stop him from investigating specific cases of corruption involving president Zuma's family.[7][8] She was also criticised by the courts for her role in handling the Zuma “spy tapes” scandal.[8]
Former BOSASA executive, Angelo Agrizzi, testified to the Zondo Commission into state corruption that Jiba was receiving payments from BOSASA to ensure that corruption charges against the company would not be pursued by the National Director of Public Prosecutions.[9]
The Daily Maverick has alleged that Western Cape Division High Court Judge John Hlophe has attempted to protect Jiba from prosecution in the past by constantly appointing Judge Mokgoatji Dolamo to dismiss cases involving Jiba.[8]
On the 26th of April 2019, it was announced that Jiba had been fired by president Cyril Ramaphosa [10]
Civil Proceedings
In November 2017 advocate Gerrie Nel and AfriForum instituted legal action to prosecute former deputy national director of public prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba.[11]
References
- NKOSI (15 September 2016). "NPA's Nomgcobo Jiba, Lawrence Mrwebi struck off the roll". Business Day. pp. BONGANI. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- "Adv Nomgcobo Jiba". Biography. National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- "Husband of NPA boss pardoned". City Press. 2012-04-07. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- Underhill, Glynnis (28 August 2014). "NPA's Jiba 'shocked' by queries into her qualifications". Mail and Guardian. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- Pretorius, Wim (2016-09-15). "NPA to consider options after Nomgcobo Jiba, Lawrence Mrwebi struck off advocates' roll". News24. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- Grootes, Stephen (19 August 2015). "While not completely out of trouble, Nomgcobo Jiba's future looks bright again". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- Underhill, Glynnis (30 April 2015). "Hawks boss: I was 'set up' to silence corruption investigations". Mail and Guardian. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
- Thamm, Marianne (23 May 2016). "Zuma, Jiba, Abrahams – a day of delaying the delayed delay". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- Gevisser, Mark (2019-07-11). "'State capture': the corruption investigation that has shaken South Africa". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
- Rabkin, Franny. "Jiba and Mrwebi fired — 'You lied to me' says Ramaphosa". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
- "Advocate Nomgcobo Jiba is Gerrie Nel's target". Retrieved 2018-01-24.