Judicial attacks: call for answers

WHY?: NO CREDIBLE ARRESTS SO FAR

DA wants police minister and NDPP hauled before committees to explain.

The Democratic Alliance says it intends to have Police Minister Fikile Mbalula and National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams summoned before the police and justice portfolio committees after yet another attack on a seat of justice.

This time it was at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court, where the office of the chief prosecutor was broken into last week.

Parliament’s justice committee chairperson Mathole Motshekga said the mounting breakins at key judicial offices are an attack on the state. “As soon as you have a situation where members of the judiciary may feel unsafe or threatened and records are not secure, then there’s no basis for a judicial system. So this is a very serious matter.”

DA shadow minister of justice and constitutional development Glynnis Breytenbach added: “It is time the public and parliament is given a full and proper briefing as to what exactly is being done to find the culprits.”

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Bulelwa Makeke said : “Yes, we are worried, I don’t know what else to tell you.”

The latest incident bore marked similarities to the burglary at the offices of the director of public prosecutions for Gauteng North (GNDPP) in Pretoria two weeks ago. In both cases entry was gained from within the building, security staff were unaware of the burglary until the next day, entry was gained by smashing out a window above the door and only specific computers were removed.

According to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, the investigation into the GNDPP matter was completed and the docket handed to the NPA. –