Thieves hit S. Africa’s National Prosecuting offices

By Hassan Isilow JOHANNESBURG (AA) – Burglars have broken into the offices of South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the capital Pretoria, stealing two laptops belonging to prosecutors, only days after another break-in into another government office. “Police have opened a case of business burglary,” Capt. Kay Makhubela, Gauteng police provincial spokesman told Anadolu Agency Monday. He said two laptops were stolen from the offices of the prosecuting authority Sunday night. He said no arrests had been made, but police were investigating. The break-in comes less than a week after another into the headquarters of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation also known as the Hawks, an elite police unit. The Hawks are tasked with investigating and preventing national priority crimes, such as, serious organized crime, commercial crimes and high-level corruption. According to a Hawks spokesman, no case files were stolen, but hard drives and other computer equipment were missing. Burglaries of government offices in South Africa have become so common that experts believe they could be politically motivated. “Honestly why would an ordinary criminal go to steal computers from the National Prosecuting Authority or the Hawks? What benefits would there be for an ordinary criminal?” Andre Duvenhage, a political science professor at the North-West University told Anadolu Agency. Earlier this year, there was a break-in broken into the offices of the chief justice and stole several computers containing information about judges and staff members. Three suspects were arrested. Local media reported last week that the break in at the Hawks offices came amid a power struggle between fired ex-chief Berning Ntlameza and newly appointed Police Minister Fikile Mbalula.