Only a matter of time before architects of state capture brought to book - NPA
NPA head Shamila Batohi told Parliament’s justice committee that while 2023 has not been as impactful as 2022 in terms of enrolling new cases, a number of critical arrests have still been made.
CAPE TOWN - National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head Shamila Batohi said that while many architects of state capture were yet to be held accountable, it was only a matter of time before they were brought to book.
She told Parliament’s justice committee that while 2023 had not been as impactful as 2022 in terms of enrolling new cases, a number of critical arrests had still been made.
"The reality is that even though the wheels of justice turn slowly and not just in this country, internationally, in South Africa impunity no longer prevails. And those with dirty hands know it’s just a matter of time before that dreaded knock on the door will come."
Batohi said criminal prosecutions take time and a lot of preparation if there’s to be a reasonable prospect of success.
She said the NPA would not succumb to public pressure to prosecute without proper preparation.
"Many of these cases are among the most difficult to prosecute, even by global standards. They often involve multiple accused, multiple jurisdictions, and complicated digital evidence that would test the limits of any prosecuting authority worldwide, not just ours."
