More evidence on Breytenbach laptop

2012-08-06 13:10

Glynnis Breytenbach (Werner Beukes, Sapa)

Pretoria - Suspended NPA prosecutor Glynnis Breytenbach's work laptop was again under the spotlight on Monday when her disciplinary hearing resumed in Pretoria.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) systems administrator Eudele Swart was the third witness to take the stand.

He told the hearing he went to Breytenbach's office on April 30, the day of her suspension, to back-up her laptop.

He found Breytenbach's "forensics guy" Philip Otto at the office already making a duplicate of Breytenbach's hard drive. Swart said Breytenbach had not offered to give him a copy of the hard drive.

Earlier in the hearing, Breytenbach's counsel Wim Trengove SC suggested she had offered NPA officials a copy of the hard drive.

Swart said Otto took the laptop back to his office to delete Breytenbach's photographs and other personal data.

Among the charges Breytenbach faces are gross insubordination and improper conduct, for allegedly not handing her work laptop to the NPA, and for having information on it deleted.

Breytenbach has pleaded not guilty to 16 charges.

She has contended that acting national director of public prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba suspended her in an attempt to stop her from prosecuting former police crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli on fraud and other charges.

The hearing continues at the NPA's offices in Silverton.

- SAPA