Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, has passed condolences to the family of murdered prosecutor, Elona Sombulula.
Sombulula, a young district prosecutor in the Eastern Cape, was shot during the evening of 29 April this year.
The Minister paid a visit to Sombulula’s family and was accompanied by National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head, Advocate Shamila Batohi and other senior officials.
“This is one of the prosecutors… who was committed and coming from our Aspirant Prosecutors programme but already showing promising signs.
“He was already dealing with complex cases and some of the suspicions are that it could be one of the cases that he was dealing that led to his demise,” she said.
The Minister said law enforcement agencies are working around the clock to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.
“I have spoken to the Minister of Police and appealed that… they… must ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous act face the might of the law so that the family can find justice.
“We don’t want to find prosecutors being scared to do their work because they are fearing for their lives. [When our] people go to our courts, they [must] find prosecutors prepared to work, sacrificing and making sure that they do what is right but not [risk] their lives,” Kubayi said.
Last week, Batohi sharply condemned the murder as an attack on the rule of law.
“Any attack on a prosecutor is an attack on the rule of law, on justice and on the very foundation of our constitutional democracy.
“Our deepest condolences to Mr Sombulula’s family and loved ones. We will honour his memory by continuing the work he so bravely carried out,” Batohi said.
