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Criminal proceedings in the corruption trial of former President Jacob Zuma will next be heard in May 2019, the High Court in Pietermaritzburg has heard.
During a brief sitting yesterday, Judge Mjabuliseni Madondo ordered that the permanent stay of prosecution arguments, together with criminal proceedings be heard next year.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and Zuma’s defence agreed that they would return on May 20, 2019.
Before that, both parties would have to submit papers beginning with Zuma having to file his heads of argument by April 18. The State would have to do the same by May 10.
During proceedings, Zuma’s lawyer Michael Hellens sped up proceedings because Zuma was apparently unwell. Electricity was also cut off shortly before proceedings concluded.
Zuma has filed a 300-page affidavit asking for a permanent stay of prosecution. He claims to be a victim of an orchestrated attempt by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to align him to corruption. Thales, the arms company implicated with Zuma, also filed its application in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court to have the prosecution permanently set aside.
It claimed to be denied a fair trial because of unreasonable delays and its right to present and challenge evidence. Last year, Zuma made presentations to then NDPP Shaun Abrahams about why he shouldn’t be prosecuted. Abrahams decided to prosecute anyway.
The embattled former president faces serious charges including one count of racketeering, two counts of corruption, one count of money laundering, and 12 counts of fraud relating to 783 payments he allegedly received in connection with the controversial arms deal.
The charges relate to the arms deal, formally known as the Strategic Defence Procurement Package. It was a multibillion-rand military acquisition project finalised in 1999.
Meanwhile, Former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke held no punches during his valedictory remarks as outgoing chancellor of Wits University.
In a scathing attack on former president Jacob Zuma, Moseneke said: “We went to sleep for 10 years (the duration of Zuma’s presidency) and institutions were hollowed out.”
“We all lost the guts to tell a bumbling fool who was sitting out there, acting as a president, [to tell him that] he is a fool, [to] tell him he’s incapable of doing the high ideals of our liberation struggle. As we failed to do that, we actually allowed so much devastation and poor people became poorer.”
Moseneke spoke at a special farewell ceremony held on the Library Lawns of the university on Wednesday. The retired Constitutional Court justice, known for strong moral principles and noble-mindedness, served two six-year terms as chancellor at Wits since 2006, ending in October this year, according to the university.
Zuma’s tenure as head of state has become synonymous with allegations of grand-scale corruption and state capture. — AFP
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