Shamila Batohi (born 27 January 1961) is a South African prosecutor. She is currently serving as the National Director of Public Prosecutions of South Africa.
Batohi was an adviser to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (2009-2019). She also served as a Director of Public Prosecutions in the KwaZulu-Natal branch of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) from 2000 to 2009.
| Shamila Batohi | |
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| Quick Facts | |
| Name: | Shamila Batohi |
| Born: | 27 January 1961 (age 64 years old) |
| Place of birth: | Durban, South Africa |
| Nationality: | South Africa |
| Alma mater: | University of Durban–Westville University of Natal |
| Spouse: | Dr Raj Somaru |
| Children: | Nikhil Shaunik. |
| Current position: | National Director of Public Prosecutions |
Early life
Shamila Batohi was born on 27 January 2026 in Durban in the former Natal Province. She grew up in the Indian suburb of Durban, Clare Estate.
Education
Batohi studied at Burnwood Secondary School, Clare Estate. She represented Natal schools in athletics.
After high school, she obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Durban-Westville. She also holds a post-graduate law degree from the University of Natal.
Career
Shamila started working as a junior prosecutor in the Chatsworth Magistrate’s office in 1986.
In 2000, Batohi led the cross-examination for the King Commission during the South African cricket team’s tour to India. She served as a public prosecutor in Natal, later renamed KwaZulu-Natal, for 15 years.
Batohi was seconded by President Nelson Mandela to join the prosecutorial team of the Investigation Task Unit (ITU), which probed political crimes. She was the first regional head of the Directorate of Special Operations based in KwaZulu-Natal.
She was a member of the Natal Attorney-General’s office following the end of the Apartheid. In 1995, she was seconded to Frank Dutton’s Investigation Task Unit, a multi-disciplinary law enforcement unit.
In 1997, she was appointed deputy attorney-general, a position later designated deputy director of public prosecutions, making her the first person of colour to be appointed to that level in the province.
She later became the Director of Public Prosecutions in the KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and served from 2000 to 2009.
Advocate Batohi left the NPA for the Hague, where she was a senior legal advisor to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (2009-2018). She held that job until she was appointed to the head of the NPA.
She has been involved in high-profile investigations, including the investigation task unit, when former defence minister Magnus Malan and 16 others were investigated for hit-squad allegations. She was involved in the prosecution of 21 accused in the R31-million SBV cash robbery.
In February 2019, she was appointed as the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) of South Africa, making her the first woman to hold the position.
She announced the revival of NPA investigations into the apartheid-era crimes investigated at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Personal Life
Shamila Batohi married a dentist, Dr Raj Somaru. She has two children, Nikhil and Shaunik.
References
- “Shamila Batohi has never sought extension of her term of office: NPA“. TimesLive.
- Chanelle Lutchman and Nadia Khan. “New NPA boss promises to serve South Africans“. PressReader.
- “Shamila Batohi“. www.africanwil.org.
- Glynnis Breytenbach. “6 months to find a new NDPP – your clock is ticking Mr President“. www.da.org.za.
- Thando Nondywana. “Shamila Batohi’s been in the job for 6 years. Here’s how many high-profile convictions she’s secured“. The Citizen.
- “Batohi has proved herself before“. IOL.
