Guptas wait on Zondo
Cross-examination decision delayed
The Gupta brothers will have to wait a little longer to know whether they will be granted permission to cross-examine witnesses who implicated them in the commission of inquiry into state capture.
Deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo on Thursday reserved judgment on whether to grant their legal teams to do so on their behalf‚ including in the case of Duduzane Zuma‚ who initially wanted to testify but made a last-minute about-turn.
“In regards to the three – Mr Ajay Gupta‚ Mr Rajesh Gupta and Mr Duduzane Zuma – I reserve judgment. Once I am ready to hand down the decision‚ I will let everybody know‚” Zondo said.
This was after advocate Mike Hellens‚ acting on behalf of all three‚ stated they would only be prepared to give evidence overseas or via a video stream link. Their argument was that they feared being arrested on their arrival in South Africa‚ as had happened to Duduzane when he returned to SA for the burial of his younger brother Vusi Zuma‚ who died of Lupus.
Duduzane‚ who is facing corruption charges and is out on R100 000 bail‚ said he no longer wanted to testify because he is facing a corruption case linked to the evidence that implicates him. However‚ Zondo said if the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority were incompetent as the Gupta’s claimed‚ the brothers could head to courts to challenge their arrest‚ if they were arrested.
Former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor‚ former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas and former government communications and informations system head Themba Maseko implicated the Gupta brothers and Duduzane.
Advocate Vincent Maleka of the commissions’ legal team said they had areas of concerns regarding the Gupta brothers’ and Duduzane’s pleas.
“The issues arise for the first time in the heads of arguments‚ [but] not in the application made by any of the Gupta brothers. “The issue is also conveyed to you under oath‚ it is conveyed to you through the mouth of the legal representatives‚” Maleka explained.