Publication: The Star Issued: Date: 2007-04-24 Reporter: Sapa

Zuma, Thint May Appeal Mauritius Ruling

 

Publication 

The Star
Date

2007-04-24

Reporter

Sapa

Web Link

www.thestar.co.za

 

ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma and French arms-maker Thint have been granted leave to appeal against a Durban High Court ruling that Mauritius will be asked to provide documents relating to alleged corruption in the arms deal.

SABC news reported yesterday that the National Prosecuting Authority has decided not to oppose the decision *1. However, it wants the court to grant an execution order to enable it to continue its efforts to obtain the documents, pending the outcome of the appeal.

The documents the state seek from Mauritius include the 2000 diary of Alain Thetard, the former chief executive of Thales International's South African subsidiary, Thint (Pty) Ltd.

It reportedly details a meeting in March 2000 between him, Zuma and convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik.

The NPA alleges that an agreement on a R500 000-a-year bribe for Zuma was reached at this meeting.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and The Star.


*1       This is incredible. The judge was so emphatic in his ruling against Zuma/Thint and in favour of the NPA. In fact it was a kind of Six-Nil judgment and so should have been defended on a matter of principle.

Instead, the NPA have taken the "practical way" out and made a deal whereby the respondent gets the appeal but the applicant gets the execution order to get the original documents from Mauritius. Maybe this deal implies that Zuma and Thint won't oppose the application in Mauritius.

In any case, it means that re-indictment and trial are a long, long way a way.