NPA probes fake document

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has launched a probe into a document circulating on social media purporting to be from its Eastern Cape office instructing prosecutors not to enrol drug related matters due to what the letter calls "high volume of the matter" on court rolls.

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“The DPP [Director of Public Prosecutions] Barry Madolo has never issued such an instruction. The Chief Prosecutor (CP) for the Mthatha Cluster, under whose letterhead the letter is written is also not aware of it as he is not the author,” NPA Regional Spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said.

Tyali assured members of the public that the NPA will continue to prosecute such matters.

“The NPA wishes to allay the fears of the public, justifiably raised by the letter, and make a commitment that there will be consequences should anyone be found to have improperly and mischievously caused the panic.

“The NPA works closely with SAPS [South African Police Service] and if such shocking 'guidance' had been brought to its management, they would have raised it with the DPP, and such has not happened,” he added.