The enquiry is examining the fitness of suspended South Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Andrew Chauke, to hold office. Batohi failed to return after the lunch adjournment while still on the witness stand, following intense cross-examination by Chauke’s counsel, Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi. She was later recalled by the commissioners, informing them she wished to return next year to consult with her legal team.
During the exchange, Justice Nkabinde rebuked Batohi: “You have been totally disrespectful to everybody,” to which Batohi responded: “Well, I apologise then, Chairperson.” Nkabinde added that the record would reflect her behaviour, a point Batohi acknowledged.
Batohi also attributed the vagueness of some of her testimony regarding former Major General Johan Booysen and the Cato Manor Unit to the considerable time gap, saying she was attempting to recall events from seven years ago.
Earlier, Chauke’s counsel, Advocate Ngcukaitobi, accused Batohi of being deceptive, claiming she had not fully disclosed her knowledge of Booysen facing charges beyond racketeering and that she had shifted responsibility to subordinates, including suspended Chauke.
Ngcukaitobi specifically referred to her alleged inaction regarding the Cato Manor police unit video filmed by former police reservist Aristides Danikas, which reportedly showed a wounded man pleading for medical assistance before being allegedly abandoned by Booysen and members of the unit.
Batohi defended her responses, stating they were an effort to accurately recall past events, while Ngcukaitobi criticised inconsistencies in her testimony. The exchanges highlighted tensions in the enquiry as it continues to probe allegations against Chauke and his team.
–SABC–
