Shaun Abrahams is a South African lawyer and the former national director of public prosecutions (NDPP) at the

National Prosecuting Authority The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is the agency of the South African Government responsible for state prosecutions. Under Section 179 of the South African Constitution and the National Prosecuting Authority Act of 1998, which establi ...

Early life

Abrahams was born in

Piketberg Piketberg (also sometimes spelt Piquetberg in the past) is a town in the Western Cape, South Africa, located about 80 km east of Saldanha Bay. The original spelling of the name was "Piquetberg". The town is in the foothills of the Piketberg mount ...

in the Cape where his father worked in construction and his mother was a teacher. He attended school in Pietermaritzburg.

Career

Prior to his appointment in 2015 when Mxolisi Nxasana stepped down as NDPP, Abrahams had been a senior state advocate in the Priority Crimes Litigation Unit. Questions were immediately raised about the manner in which he had been promoted ahead of more senior prosecutors. Abrahams had joined the NPA as an administrative clerk in a provincial office while completing his legal studies. He holds B Iuris, B Proc and LLB degrees, which he read part-time at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Brief Resumé
npa.gov.za Abrahams has been seen as complicit in helping President

Jacob Zuma Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (; born 12 April 1942) is a South African politician who served as the fourth president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He is also referred to by his initials JZ and clan names Nxamalala and Msholozi. Zuma was a for ...

avoid corruption charges, and was given the nickname "''Shaun The Sheep''" as a result. Abrahams has described himself as "nobody’s man". Abrahams' appointment was challenged by Freedom Under Law, and on 8 December 2017, his appointment was set aside by a full bench of the High Court, finding that he was irregularly appointed. The court also ruled that President Zuma was conflicted and therefore a replacement should be appointed by the Deputy President

Cyril Ramaphosa Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (born 17 November 1952) is a South African businessman and politician serving as the 5th and current President of South Africa since 2018. A former Anti-Apartheid Movement, anti-apartheid activist and trade union leade ...

instead, and this must be done within 60 days. The NPA appealed this ruling, but in August 2018, in '' Corruption Watch v President'', the Constitutional Court ordered that Shaun Abrahams vacate his position as NDPP and President Cyril Ramaphosa appoint a new NDPP within 90 days. Abrahams reportedly retired from the NPA with benefits, but the NPA declined to comment on such employment-related matters. Abrahams said he would not be lost to the legal fraternity. Abrahams was succeeded as NDPP by Silas Ramaite in an acting capacity. His successor, Shamila Batohi, was appointed NDPP on 4 December 2018 and assumed office in February 2019.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abrahams, Shaun Living people 21st-century South African lawyers People from Bergrivier Local Municipality Year of birth missing (living people) South African prosecutors