The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), the specialised organised crime-fighting body better known as the Hawks, on Tuesday rubbished reports suggesting one of its senior officers was involved in a break-in at the Gauteng North offices of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Pretoria.

Eyewitness News reported that the two prosecutors whose offices were burgled were working on the case involving Brigadier Nyameka Xaba, who is accused by South African Revenue Service (Sars) employee Vlok Symington of holding him against his will during a Hawks probe into Pravin Gordhan, the former finance minister.

“The Eyewitness report is baseless and such accusations should never have been given so much credence. It is clear that the report is an attempt to damage Brigadier Xaba personal reputation (sic) based on uncorroborated facts,” Hawks spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi said.

EWN also reported that Xaba was seen at the NPA offices last week and had met the two prosecutors.

“Brigadier Xaba and his team members recently honoured an invitation from a prosecutor at the NPA offices to deliberate on an unrelated case, as opposed to what Eyewitness News has reported,” Mulaudzi said, defending Xaba.

The Hawks said Xaba, the head of the crimes against the state unit, was currently on leave, but was consulting his lawyers on the “false information against him personally”.