PRETORIA: Jacob Zuma is sticking to his guns that "political motives" are underpinning the state's efforts to investigate him for fraud and corruption despite prosecuting bosses taking court action over his allegations.

And Zuma's counsel, Kemp J Kemp SC, yesterday hinted in the Pretoria High Court that the former deputy president might well use his conspiracy claims to justify why he should not be subject to further investigation.

Kemp was arguing that Zuma should be allowed to intervene in the state's request to obtain information from banks and lawyers in the United Kingdom.

According to Kemp, the purpose of such information was "to try and link Mr Zuma to improper payments for purposes of prosecution". Zuma has previously described himself as "disturbed" by the state's renewed efforts to investigate him, months before the ANC decides on its next leader.

Attacking the state's efforts to gather potential evidence against him from both Mauritian and UK authorities, Zuma claims that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) "wished to engineer a situation whereby (I) would appear as a criminal/accused/suspect during the crucial period of the latter part of 2007".

"It may be shown that these things taint the state's application (for information)," Kemp yesterday told Judge Willem van der Merwe, who acquitted Zuma of rape more than a year ago.

Confronted by Zuma's refusal to back down from his "vexatious, fictitious and scandalous" claims, the state yesterday demanded that the Pretoria High Court throw his allegations out of court - and order him to pay their legal bills as punishment.

"It would appear my learned colleague is persisting with the allegation that political motives and undertones are driving the state's investigation," said state counsel Danie Dorfling SC.

Asking that Judge van der Merwe visit and treat Zuma's claims with censure, Dorfling yesterday said the issues Zuma raised were "irrelevant" to his current court action and "made absent of any concrete proof", adding: "The claims definitely warrant a punitive costs order."

In an earlier response to Zuma's claims, deputy director of public prosecutions, Anton Steynberg, said the state was simply attempting to "complete all outstanding investigations".

The NPA also want Zuma to pay for the suggestions of political conspiracy contained in his application to stop the state from obtaining documents - related to a R500 000 bribe he allegedly obtained from arms company Thint - from Mauritius.

With acknowledgements to Karyn Maughan and Cape Times