NPA doesn't tolerate prosecuters involved in criminal behaviour: Batohi

The National Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Shamila Batohi, said the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) doesn’t tolerate criminal behaviour by its prosecutors.

Batohi has now called National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola to provide her with the names of prosecutors that are alleged to be involved in any type of criminal activity.

She was responding to questions about criminal infiltration in the NPA before the Parliament ad hoc committee investigating police corruption and interference on Tuesday.

Batohi faced a series of questions about how prosecutors have been implicated in a web of corruption to prevent certain cases from being registered.

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This follows earlier submissions by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi who told the committee that prosecutors are part of the problem.

African National Congress (ANC) member of Parliament (MP) Xola Nqola put this to Batohi.

“On the 6th of July General Mkhwanazi takes it to the public and alleges that the NPA is playing part in aiding criminal syndicates to evade justice.”

But Batohi said she’s not aware and will be contacting Masemola to get more details.

“I will be writing to the national commissioner to ask him to reveal the names of those prosecutors that General Mkhwanazi alleges [are] involved in any kind of criminal activity.”

She said the matter must be investigated because no names were mentioned. But she said the probe must be carefully timed because of the ongoing police inquiries.