NPA investigative directorate has wide scope

The NPA’s new investigative directorate will not only deal with revelations from the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, but also with offences that arise out of the commissions of inquiry into both the SARS and the Public Investment Corporation (PIC). This, notes a Business Day report, is according to a proclamation President Cyril Ramaphosa signed on Tuesday and submitted to Parliament on Wednesday, ahead of the final sitting of the National Assembly for the fifth Parliament. The directorate will also deal with the common-law offences of fraud, forgery and uttering, theft and ‘any offences involving dishonesty’. It will also deal with statutory offences, as well as any ‘serious, high-profile or unlawful activities’ that include, but are not limited to, those being revealed in evidence given at the commissions. The proclamation, which is expected to be gazetted today (Friday), officially establishes the directorate Ramaphosa promised during his State of the Nation Address in February. The directorate will reside in the office of the NDPP, Shamila Batohi and will also be able to take on any other serious, high profile or complex corruption cases she may refer to it.