Cape Town - The murder of top criminal advocate Pete Mihalik appears to have been a targeted assassination.
Mihalik was gunned down while sitting in his car outside a private school on the Atlantic Seaboard, Cape Town.
He was dropping his eight-year-old son at Reddam House primary school when he was shot dead. His son was also injured in the incident.
Mihalik had represented several high profile suspected and convicted criminals with links to the criminal underworld.
Journalists gathered outside Reddam school. Picture: Richard Slater-Jones
Cape Bar Society of Advocates chairperson advocate Ismail Jamie SC, said they were all shocked by the incident.
“It’s terrible news. Our thoughts are with his children. We don’t have any other information than what there is already in the public.
Outside Reddam school on Monday. Picture: Richard Slater-Jones
“It does appear as a targeted assassination and we know that he was a criminal defence lawyer. We as the Cape Bar see his murder as an assault on the criminal justice system,” said Jamie.
Pete Mihalik, one of the Western Cape's top advocates, was gunned down while dropping his child off at Reddam House Atlantic Seaboard. Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency (ANA)
Pete’s colleague, advocate William Booth, said he was completely devastated by the news.
“I have known Pete since his days as a prosecutor at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court, we have also worked on matters together.
Renowned criminal advocate Pete Mihalik was shot dead in Green Point on Tuesday morning. Picture: Catherine Rice/African News Agency (ANA)
“This is devastating. We are in complete utter shock,” he said.
Booth said he last saw Pete at the Western Cape High Court last Thursday where he was busy with a trial.
Video: Armand Hough/African News Agency (ANA)
Two years ago, criminal defence attorney Noorudien Hassan was killed outside his Lansdowne home.
“In the Hassan case no one was arrested. Things like this should not be happening. Lawyers should be regarded as objective people dealing with matters. Everyone deserves the right to legal representation," said Booth.
@Zoey_Dano