ZUMA GOES TO COURT
…as he institutes private prosecution against prosecutor Billy Downer
JOHANNESBURG - A day before the start of former President Jacob Zuma’s corruption trial, his foundation has announced that his legal team will try to privately prosecute lead prosecutor Billy Downer.
“The instruction will now be put into operation in the next few days. (Former) President Zuma has decided that the only way to deal with Downer is through private prosecution, so wheels are being set in motion to see to it that a private prosecution happens,” Jacob G Zuma Foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi said at a media briefing in Sandton yesterday.
Manyi said Zuma’s legal team had also filed his reconsideration application at the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein. This after the SCA denied him leave to appeal the dismissal of his special plea.
“All (former) President Zuma really wants is his day in court, in a fair trial and certainly not in a forum which is being rigged by the State in the manner described above, and all the previous unfair and incorrect decisions which will hopefully be corrected by the higher courts.”
Zuma’s lawyers had written to prosecutions boss Shamila Batohi to demand that she remove Downer as the lead prosecutor in the corruption case.
News24 also previously reported that Zuma’s lawyers claimed Downer was guilty of “unauthorised dissemination” of confidential information about his medical condition because the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) advocate, Andrew Breitenbach, SC, agreed to a request from News24 to provide it with court papers filed by the defence and State.
The documents in question were filed as part of a previous successful attempt by Zuma to seek the postponement of the case against him on medical grounds. It included a letter from the former President’s military doctor.
Manyi said that the NPA had been “dragging” its feet to investigate Downer and others for alleged breaches.
“We have witnessed a desperate frenzy of activity and panic from the NPA in its attempts to cleanse advocate Downer, by any means necessary, including adopting procedures and processes that should be frowned upon and found wanting by any fair justice system.”
Manyi confirmed that Zuma would appear in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg today, but said his legal team would apply for a postponement because “it is very clear that the conditions for a fair trial are non-existent.” – NEWS24.