The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has laid criminal charges against former Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) head Advocate Andrea Johnson.
The party accuses Johnson of perjury and defeating the ends of justice over what it alleges were contradictory statements made before Parliament’s ad hoc committee and the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
Speaking on the sidelines of Brooklyn Police Station in Pretoria on Monday, MK Party MP David Skosana said the party believed Johnson had given conflicting versions of events before the parliamentary committee and the commission.
“As you know, uMkhonto weSizwe made a statement in Parliament at the ad hoc committee to say that we were going to open a case against Advocate Johnson. Indeed, we’ve opened a case today at Brooklyn Police Station,” Skosana said.
He alleged that Johnson had made inconsistent statements before the two forums.
“You’d remember that Advocate Johnson gave different statements at the ad hoc committee. She said something, and at the Madlanga Commission she said something (else). That’s what we call perjury.”
Skosana said the party had also opened a case of defeating the ends of justice.
“So a case of perjury has been made here at Brooklyn Police Station, and the issue of defeating the ends of justice, and we hope that the law enforcement agencies will do what they are supposed to do,” he said.
He said the MK Party expected police to pursue the matter as they had previous complaints the party had lodged.
“If you remember well, this is the same police station where we opened a case against Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya and Minister Senzo Mchunu.
”We are happy that the police followed those matters and they were attended to, and we hope this one involving Advocate Johnson, the former IDAC boss, will also be followed,” Skosana said.
Skosana said the MK Party believed all public institutions should be held accountable.
“As uMkhonto weSizwe Party, we need all institutions to account. It’s not like in the Sixth Administration.
”In the Seventh Administration, we made sure that there is accountability, and I think our actions speak louder than volume.
”We are a party that wants everyone, and South Africans as well, to know that taxpayers’ money should not go in vain,” he said.
The charges follow Johnson’s testimony before the Madlanga Commission, where questions were raised over differences between her evidence before the inquiry and her earlier testimony before Parliament’s ad hoc committee.
During the proceedings, Johnson conceded that parts of her evidence to the committee were incorrect.
ANC MP Xola Nqola later informed members of the ad hoc committee that Johnson had acknowledged she had misled the committee during her previous testimony.
The admission prompted further scrutiny of Johnson’s evidence, with the MK Party accusing her of perjury and announcing its intention to open a criminal case against her.
At the commission, Johnson was questioned over IDAC’s investigation into senior Crime Intelligence officials, including the basis for the investigation involving suspended Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo and the role of National Coloured Congress MP Fadiel Adams’ complaint in initiating the matter.
Johnson conceded that IDAC had no legal basis to investigate Khumalo in the matter linked to Brigadier Dineo Mokwele’s appointment. She also acknowledged that the unit was not authorised to solicit complaints from members of the public, after questions were raised over how Adams’ Section 27 affidavit became the basis of the investigation.
She also faced questions over IDAC’s handling of matters involving suspended Crime Intelligence deputy head Major General Feroz Khan. Johnson denied political interference, rejected allegations that she was part of a so-called “Khan-IDAC cabal”, and invoked her constitutional right against self-incrimination on certain questions relating to Khan.
The scrutiny surrounding her testimony came shortly before Johnson resigned as IDAC head, with President Cyril Ramaphosa accepting her resignation.
IOL Politics
Get your news on the go. Download the latest IOL App for Android and IOS now
