Publication: Sapa Issued: Johannesburg Date: 2006-02-14 Reporter: Sapa

Zuma Trial Postponed to March 6

 

Publication 

Sapa
BC-COURT-11TH-LD-ZUMA

Issued

Johannesburg
Date 2006-02-14

 

Former deputy president Jacob Zuma's rape trial has been postponed to March 6.

The postponement was granted by Justice Ezra Goldstein in Court 4E after he heard argument from Zuma's defence and the State in chambers.

Zuma's advocate, Kemp J Kemp, SC, said the postponement was at the request of the defence who needed time to digest documents received from the prosecution on Monday morning, which included cellphone records and a psychologist's report.

The defence also thought the time elapsed between Zuma being charged and the start of the trial was too short for them to adequately prepare.

Kemp said the State opposed the adjournment but later relented on condition that the defence would not ask for further postponements.

It was not immediately clear late on Tuesday morning who would preside over the trial when it resumes.

Deputy Judge President Jerry Shongwe, who heads the Pretoria High Court, was widely expected to take over from Transvaal Judge President Bernard Ngoepe who on Monday recused himself.

However, The Star newspaper on Tuesday reported the defence might also ask Shongwe to step aside.

The newspaper, quoting unnamed sources, said the defence had "difficulties" with Shongwe -- apparently because of unspecified personal reasons and the fact that Shongwe had been involved in a Zuma matter relating to his upcoming corruption trial.

News24 reported that Shongwe in 2003 scrapped an urgent application by Zuma to obtain information about the investigation that has led to him being charged with corruption and also ordered him to pay the State's legal costs.

Ngoepe said on Monday the other deputy judge president, Phineas Mojapelo, who heads the Johannesburg court, was not available because of personal circumstances.

Zuma's instructing attorney, Michael Hulley, said Shongwe's absence on Tuesday spoke for itself *1.

With acknowledgement to Sapa.


*1  T'is indeed the season for some among us of the non-sequitur.