NPA expands its capacity and expertise to prosecute highly complex corruption and state capture cases
2 June 2023
The NPA is cognisant of the devastating impact that state capture and other forms of corruption has on our country - on our economy, our democratic institutions, and our people. It will therefore spare no effort or cost to ensure that it has the best capabilities to prosecute state capture and other complex corruption cases, and to ensure that justice prevails.
Under its present leadership, the NPA has prioritised the prosecution of these crimes. Drawing on lessons from recent setbacks, and the findings of our capacity enhancement initiative, the NPA is further expanding and strengthening its prosecution capabilities relating to these cases.
The NPA’s research confirms that it has a core of highly experienced and capable prosecutors who can effectively prosecute the bulk of serious cases on the court rolls. Despite these capabilities, however, it is necessary to supplement these skills, in view of the changing nature of crime, including its increased digital character and the growing complexity of corruption matters.
The NPA’s expanded approach builds on previous experience and practice. It starts with strategic case coordination and prioritisation of impactful cases, and extends to enlisting the services of the country’s leading Senior Counsel and other local and international experts to support prosecutors and ID investigators in their work.
This expanded use of seasoned advocates and other experts to support our specialist staff, which we have now applied in some key cases already enrolled, will ensure that the NPA is able to deal with all aspects of these complex cases, in a sustainable and coordinated manner, with the best available resources. The NPA will also expand the use of its existing internal case advisory panels, to ensure that the most experienced prosecutors in the NPA provide their insights and guidance in relation to all priority cases, primarily on whether the standard of proof required for enrolment is met.
The NPA may not always succeed in all the cases it prosecutes. And the role of a prosecutor is not to secure a conviction at all costs, but to place all relevant and admissible evidence before the court, in the quest for justice. In respect of state capture and other complex corruption cases, the NPA is adopting a more strategic and focused approach, allocating highly skilled additional resources to maximise its chances of success in ensuring justice and accountability. This expanded approach will allow us to do so.
Issued by Mthunzi Mhaga, NPA Spokesperson, 2 June 2023
