Worry over NPA's string of failed cases

'Consistent pattern’ of bungled high profile matters

- MANYANE MANYANE and MASHUDU SADIKE

THE NATIONAL Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is facing a crisis of credibility, with a string of failed cases and allegations of incompetence and corruption.

The recent decision by the Free State High Court to withdraw charges against Moroadi Cholota, the former assistant to former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, has highlighted the NPA's struggles.

According to legal experts and political commentators, the NPAs challenges are deep-seated and multifaceted. According to Richard Spoor, a human rights attorney who takes on complex legal cases, the NPAS problems are rooted ina lack of leadership, inadequate resources, anda failure to retain skilled personnel.

In the Cholota case, the NPA failed to follow the correct procedure for extraditing her from the US, leading to the charges being withdrawn. In other cases, such as the Koko and Nulane cases, the NPA has been accused of failing to secure cooperation from key witnesses.

In October 2022, Matshela Koko and seven other people, including members of his family, were arrested on corruption charges relating to an Eskom contract.

He was accused of soliciting bribes from Eskom contractors, who received lucrative contracts at Kusile Power Station. The case was struck off the roll a year later as the court ruled that there was an unreasonable delay on the part of the State to proceed with the trial.