The Legal Practice Council (LPC) has confirmed that senior council Adv. Dali Mpofu will now face four of the seven charges preferred against him after three other charges were dropped. Mpofu was on Wednesday dragged before the LPC’s disciplinary committee, but the hearing did not commence due to a change in the charge sheet and a power outage at the venue.
He is facing several alleged breaches of the code of conduct for legal practitioners and bringing the profession into disrepute in several public instances.Speaking to Motlhaping Modise on YOU FM Newshour, LPC’s spokesperson Kabelo Lebetele said that they received three letters from witnesses who indicated their unwillingness to participate on the matter.
“Yes, the charges have been reviewed, the charges will now be four not seven as initially reported. The main reason is that we had Advocate Thuli Madonsela (former Public Protector) indicates that she wants no involvement, and she’s moved on, so she has no intention to make a submission in this matter.
“You will recall that they (with Mpofu) had an exchange which was very much in the media during the section 194 Parliamentary Inquiry into the fitness of the now impeached Public Protector (Adv. Busisiwe Mkhwebane) to hold office so as the main impacted person or witness she decided not to participate in any way or any form in this matter. Secondly the chairperson of the same committee Qubudile Dyantyi also made it clear to the LPC that he is also not willing to give input on the Mpofu matter, so that’s the second key witness and we also got the letter from the Chief Justice (Justice Mandisa) Maya who made clear it to the LPC that she also doesn’t want to be part of it,” said Letebele.
In addition, Letebele said there are only four other charges remaining which we will afford Mpofu the opportunity to respond to, “because in those matters the witnesses and the evidence is still available to be considered by the independent disciplinary hearing.” He refuted claims that the LPC’s disciplinary committee is politically influenced against Mpofu.
“The legal practitioner’s council is a legally voted structure, voted for by the lawyers. A committee elected by the lawyers are the ones that are then given the ultimate authority to give guidance and to ensure that us as employees of the council are carrying out the work of the LPC in line with the legal practice Act. So, if you suggest that there’s political influence, essentially that kind of pouring cold water on the fact that 42 000 legal practitioners have had an opportunity to decide who is going to serve as the legal practice council in the next three years,” explained Letebele.
Meanwhile, Mpofu, who was accompanied by members of his political home, Umkhonto WeSizwe Party outside the venue where the hearings were supposed to be held, told the media that “these are laughable, trumped-up charges against him.”
The hearing against him was postponed sine die, meaning without a determined date for resumption.
