Zuma served formal summons to court
FORMER president Jacob Zuma was formally served with a summons to appear at the Durban High Court on April 6, his lawyer Michael Hulley confirmed yesterday.
Zuma is facing 16 fraud and corruption charges, which are related to the controversial arms deal.
“I confirm that the summons has been received and that we are preparing an application to review the NDPP’s (National Director of Public Prosecution) decision to prosecute,” said Hulley, without providing further explanation.
Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said summons were also served on Zuma’s co-accused, French arms company Thint, “whose lawyers are in Cape Town”.
With regard to opposing the summons, Mulaudzi said all the matters would be ventilated in court.
“It is their (defence lawyers’) job. On April 6 the accused will be formally charged,” he said.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head Shaun Abrahams reinstated charges against Zuma earlier this month.
In 2009, then acting NPA head Mokotedi Mpshe took the decision to drop the case against Zuma.
Mpshe’s decision was found to be unlawful and irrational by both the North Gauteng High Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal. This allowed Abrahams to find that the case should go ahead.
Thint allegedly paid Zuma R500 000 to protect the company from any possible arms deal investigations.
The State believes that money was to be used to pay for Zuma’s Nkandla renovations.
Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal church leaders, who support Zuma, said yesterday they would be at court to pray for him through his difficult time.
The KwaZulu-Natal ANC Youth League has already revealed that it had started to mobilise various community and ANC structures to rally behind Zuma when he answers “politically motivated” charges of fraud and corruption.
ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule at the weekend gave instructions to Zuma supporters not to wear party colours at court.