When the National Prosecuting Authority withdrew the charges against the powerful KwaZulu-Natal ANC politicians Mike Mabuyakhulu and Peggy Nkonyeni in the politically-fraught ‘Amigos’ corruption and racketeering trial, not many were surprised. But the story was far from over: after the Democratic Alliance’s court application to try to force the National Prosecuting Authority to disclose why it had dropped criminal charges against Mabuyakhulu and Nkonyeni was heard in October, the lead prosecutor Ncedile Dunywa was quietly removed from his role. The reason for the relegation of this senior state advocate to the legal backwater has been a mystery. Until now. By GLYNNIS UNDERHILL.