NPA's Batohi confident more state capture cases will be enrolled in 2025
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), including the Investigating Directrorate, have faced criticism over their inability to secure convictions in state capture related cases after almost three years since the final report was submitted.
NPA head Shamila Batohi during a media briefing on 16 August 2024. Picture: GCIS
JOHANNESBURG - National Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Shamila Batohi, is optimistic that more state capture cases will be enrolled in the courts this year.
Batohi defended the work of the prosecuting authority, bemoaning the yardstick of successfully prosecuted state capture cases as a measure of its competence.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), including the Investigating Directrorate, have faced criticism over their inability to secure convictions in state capture-related cases after almost three years since the final report was submitted.
Just last week, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) heard an application to overturn a judgment by the Free State division of the high court, which acquitted eight accused in the Nulane matter.
It was the first state capture-related case and the court lamented the way the case was investigated.
But Batohi has defended the work of the body.
She addressed newly-minted prosecutors who've completed the prosecutor programme which equips law graduates for the role in the courtroom.
"Sadly, the only measure on whether the NPA has been successful is when there is one politician in orange overalls for state capture. There’s a lot of work going into this issue but I feel very confident that this year, there’s going to be significant changes in terms of further enrollments."