Deputy President Jacob Zuma has again questioned the motives behind the Scorpions' probe into allegations of his involvement in the multi-billion rand arms deal.

On Friday his lawyers submitted to the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) his responses to the questions posed to him, he said in a statement.

However, some matters had to be clarified publicly, particularly those published or broadcast in the media, "in what I consider to be almost a trial by media".

Zuma emphasised that a number of the questions asked intruded on his private relationship with several people who had nothing to do with the arms deal process.

"They are also characterised by extreme vagueness and are unrelated to the arms deal investigation."

He said he had responded to all the questions he considered relevant to the arms deal investigation, which was the subject matter of the probe.

"I have requested the NPA to explain the relevance to the arms deal of the questions which intrude into my private life and private relationships with other people, and those which suggest an investigation into the affairs of the ANC.

"It is such questions and the nature of the investigation itself that has made me question the real motives," he said.

The chronology of the process, and the way it was conducted, clearly indicated he would not have been able to influence the process in any way.

The main recommendations were made by a Cabinet committee set up in 1998 when he was still an MEC in kwaZulu-Natal.

By the time he became deputy president, the agreements were close to finality.

"The core allegation against me, which has also been repeated untested in the media on daily basis, is that I attempted to solicit R500 000 per year to protect a French company from being investigated for contraventions arising from South Africa's arms procurement process.

"In that regard, I find it strange and puzzling that out of the 35 questions sent to me, not a single one of them asks me to respond to this key allegation.

"It is mind boggling as to how anyone could manage to influence an investigation that was being conducted by three different agencies," he said.

"Three years is a long time for any investigating authority not to establish whether or not an attempted soliciting of a bribe took place.

"And why am I not being asked questions relating to this key matter? This once again makes me question the real motives of the investigation. As I look into the whole situation, the mystery deepens."

Zuma said his association with businessman Schabir Shaik spanned more than 20 years, and had its beginnings in the struggle against apartheid.

Their relationship grew over the years, and they were friends and comrades.

"He also serves as my financial adviser and administers all my financial affairs." He had come to trust Shaik completely.

Zuma said he had no financial interest in any of Shaik's businesses.

"The allegations against me are baseless, defamatory and grossly unfair. I have tolerated leaks to the media, leading to sensational coverage, which has cast aspersions on my integrity.

"I am a strong believer in democracy... I fought for it and will never undermine it. That is precisely why I kept quiet for the last three years to allow our investigative institution to do its work unhindered.

"I did not want to give an impression that I do not want to be investigated because of my position, because if I did, it would have been an abuse of power and authority, going against the very grain of the fundamentals of our democracy.

"My only quarrel with the investigation, as said before, has been the methods employed.

"I hope that with the answering of the questions this would assist the investigators to conclude the matter as soon as possible, otherwise I would once again question the real motives of the investigation," Zuma said.

With acknowledgement to Jacques Keet and Sapa.