The National Prosecuting Authority says it is investigating the source of a document making the rounds on social media claiming drug cases will no longer be enrolled by Eastern Cape courts.
The document, purported to be from the control public prosecutor in the Mthatha cluster and dated July 24, was shared on Twitter by UDM leader Bantu Holomisa and is titled 'Guidance to SAPS'.
It states: “Good day colleagues, we received a [Director of Public Prosecutions] DPP instructions not to enrol drug matters due to high volume of the matters on our roll and/or as a mechanism to control the court roll.
“My advice, please colleagues do not be demoralised, effect arrests and submit the docket for screening and guidance. As an aside, serious drug matters — such as high quantity of drugs eg: 50 and above may be enrolled subject to the discretion of the SPP and/or control prosecutor.”
NPA in EC to probe origins of ‘fake’ letter saying drug cases will no longer be enrolled
Image: 123RF
The National Prosecuting Authority says it is investigating the source of a document making the rounds on social media claiming drug cases will no longer be enrolled by Eastern Cape courts.
The document, purported to be from the control public prosecutor in the Mthatha cluster and dated July 24, was shared on Twitter by UDM leader Bantu Holomisa and is titled 'Guidance to SAPS'.
It states: “Good day colleagues, we received a [Director of Public Prosecutions] DPP instructions not to enrol drug matters due to high volume of the matters on our roll and/or as a mechanism to control the court roll.
“My advice, please colleagues do not be demoralised, effect arrests and submit the docket for screening and guidance. As an aside, serious drug matters — such as high quantity of drugs eg: 50 and above may be enrolled subject to the discretion of the SPP and/or control prosecutor.”
The NPA Eastern Cape's Luxolo Tyali dismissed the document as fake news, denying that the Eastern Cape DPP Barry Madolo had issued such an instruction.
“The chief prosecutor for the Mthatha cluster, under whose letterhead the letter is written, is also not aware of it as he is not the author. 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 the police and if such shocking “guidance” had been brought to its management, they would have raised it with the DPP, and such has not happened,” Tyali said.
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