Chauke storms out of Batohi's meeting to discuss Kodwa

NPA bosses at odds over high-profile cases

- By Mawande AmaShabalala

Suspended Johannesburg director of public prosecutions Andrew Chauke stormed out of a meeting with national head Shamila Batohi, where former minister Zizi Kodwa was the subject of discussion.

Sunday World can reveal that weeks before Chauke was suspended last week, Batohi summoned him to a meeting at the National Prosecuting Authority head office in Pretoria.

At the meeting, the duo was to discuss the decision of his office to drop the corruption prosecution against Kodwa and businessman Jehan Mackay.

But unbeknownst to Chauke, Batohi had also invited his juniors, who were connected to the meeting virtually.

The ambush is said to have offended Chauke, who has been under siege from Batohi for years.

Informants close to the situation said Chauke was also disturbed by Batohi's manoeuvres to make him the personal custodian of the Kodwa decision.

“The meeting was about the Zizi Kodwa matter, for which Batohi insists there is a case to answer, while Chauke and his deputies insist there is no case, given the weak evidence. But the issue is that Chauke did not decide that there is no basis for prosecution; his deputies did, and like every boss, he defends his subordinates.