National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi during the parliamentary ad hoc committee inquiry at the Good Hope Chambers in Cape Town on 11 November 2025. Picture: Gallo Images/Brenton Geach The Organisation for Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has come out in defence of outgoing National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi, pushing back against fierce criticism of her testimony at the inquiry into Johannesburg prosecutions boss Andrew Chauke’s fitness to hold office. This after suspended Gauteng director of public prosecutions Andrew Chauke’s advocate, Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, grilled Batohi, at the Nkabinde Inquiry on Monday.
Stefanie Fick, Outa’s accountability division head, said it was extremely prejudicial to judge Batohi’s cross-examination only – but rather her entire evidence at the inquiry. “I am of the view she handled it well and answered all the questions,” she said. Fick said nothing in Batohi’s testimony or her answers during cross-examination damaged the public trust.
The Citizenhas reported that legal experts were critical of Batohi’s admissions at the inquiry under cross-examination – including not reading dockets before making decisions – and that these eroded public trust in the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). “She did mention that she did not read all the dockets but it is not a concession. “The NDPP is not expected to read all dockets,” Fick said. Batohi, whose term ends in February next year, also admitted under cross-examination that at least one of the charges against Chauke was wrong, disputing President Cyril Ramaphosa’s terms of reference.
Read Full Article on The Citizen
