Ramaphosa announces Advocate Shamila Batohi as new NPA boss

 ·4 Dec 2018

President Cyril Ramaphosa has named Advocate Shamila Batohi as the new national director of Public Prosecutions.

Batohi will replace Shaun Abrahams who was seen as ineffectual in targeting cases that dealt with state capture under former president Jacob Zuma.

The announcement follows an August Constitutional Court order instructing him to appoint a new NDPP within 90 days.

In October 2018 President Cyril Ramaphosa invited a number of legal organisations and independent public institutions to help him identify and select individuals for consideration as possible candidates for the position of NDPP.

An eight-member panel led by cabinet minister Jeff Radebe originally shortlisted 11 candidates for the position.

This was narrowed down to five people: Andrea Johnson, Rodney de Kock, Shamila Batohi, Siyabulela Mapoma and Simphiwe Mlotshwa

Batohi has previously worked as a senior legal advisor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and as a prosecutor at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

She will formally begin in February 2019 as she serves out her notice at the ICC.


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