S/AFRICA: Prosecutor kicked out of job

South Africa’s top court has ruled that the head of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Shaun Abrahams, was not validly appointed and was a beneficiary of former President Jacob Zuma’s abuse of power. Mr Abrahams was appointed in 2015 after his predecessor Mxolisi Nxasana was given 17.3m rand ($1.1m; £862,000) as a “golden handshake” by […]

South Africa’s top court has ruled that the head of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Shaun Abrahams, was not validly appointed and was a beneficiary of former President Jacob Zuma’s abuse of power.

Mr Abrahams was appointed in 2015 after his predecessor Mxolisi Nxasana was given 17.3m rand ($1.1m; £862,000) as a “golden handshake” by Mr Zuma’s government. However, Mr Nxasana later went to court claiming he had been forced out of his position because Mr Zuma was convinced that he intended to prosecute him for corruption.

Judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga, reading a majority opinion, ruled that Mr Zuma had unlawfully retired Mr Nxasana, and therefore his subsequent appointment of Mr Abrahams was invalid.