Judgment reserved in spy tapes case

PRETORIA: Judgment was reserved yesterday morning in the DA’s application to have the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) decision to drop 738 charges against President Jacob Zuma set aside.

After hearing the matter for three consecutive days, Deputy Judge President, Aubrey Ledwaba, accompanied by two other judges in the high court in Pretoria, said judgment would be communicated to the parties soon.

“The court would like to thank all the counsel for their detailed submissions and heads of argument, which will indeed assist us as we deal with the judgment. We are well aware that this is an important matter.”

The court heard representations on the circumstances and implications of the 2009 controversial decision by then acting national director of public prosecutions Mokotedi Mpshe to drop the charges of fraud, corruption and racketeering against Zuma.

Zuma’s attorney, Kemp J Kemp SC, told the court that a manipulation of the prosecution processes against the president was simply aimed at crippling him in the race for the ANC presidency at the watershed Polokwane conference in 2007.

“As a result of this strategy, Mr Zuma would then not be president, Zuma would have suffered a loss at Polokwane. Mr Mpshe’s decision (to drop charges) was about the enormity of what you were trying to achieve,” said Kemp.

The DA, through advocate Sean Rosenberg SC, told the court that Mpshe’s decision was not rational.

The NPA refuted that the decision was made to protect its reputation in a matter which was tainted by political agendas. – ANA