Civil rights organisation AfriForum and former KwaZulu-Natal provincial Hawks head Johan Booysen on Friday filed criminal charges of perjury and defeating the ends of justice against National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Advocate Shaun Abrahams.

“AfriForum is of an opinion that Shaun Abrahams is not a fit and proper person for the position he holds. We are asking President Cyril Ramaphosa to fire him with immediate effect, and to appoint a new head to the National Prosecuting Authority that will act without fear, favour and prejudice,” head of AfriForum’s Anti-Corruption Unit Monique Taute said as she addressed journalists at the Silverton police station in Pretoria east.

Taute said Booysen had approached AfriForum, and the organisation was assisting him in filing the charges against Abrahams relating to the 2015 withdrawal of charges of fraud and perjury against Advocate Nomgcobo Jiba.

“This case follows, after the North Gauteng High Court made a judgement about a case where Abrahams withdrew the charges against Nomgcobo Jiba, his deputy. In that judgement, the court said in Abrahams’ statement, as well as the statement of another advocate, they had lied under oath,” said Taute.

“The court also found that it had been Abrahams who had withdrawn the charges against Jiba on the recommendation of Marshall Mokgathle - regional head of the specialised commercial crimes unit. It was also the court’s view that Abrahams and Mokgathle’s versions had raised serious questions of credibility, and also that the explanation for the withdrawal that had been given by Abrahams and had been supported by Mokgathle was bizarre in the extreme”.

AfriForum insists both Abrahams and Mokgathle have committed an offence in terms of Section 9 of the Justices of the Peace and the Commissioner of Oaths Act (Act No. 16 of 1936), which states that: "Any person who in an affidavit, made before a person competent to administer an oath or affirmation, has made a false statement knowing it to be false, shall be guilty of an offense and liable upon conviction to the penalties by law for the offence of perjury."

In December, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria set aside Abrahams decision to withdraw the charges against Jiba.

The National Prosecuting Authority was not readily available to comment on the charges brought by AfriForum and Booysen on Friday.