BLOEMFONTEIN: The supreme court is to hear today Jacob Zuma and French arms manufacturer Thint's appeal against a letter asking Mauritian authorities to release the originals of about 14 documents they seized in a search in that country.

In June, in spite of the impending appeal before the Supreme Court of Appeal, Justice Jan Hugo, sitting in Durban, granted the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) an execution order allowing it to proceed with its letter of request to the attorney-general of Mauritius.

The NPA has said in papers that information in the documents is relevant to its investigation of Zuma and Thintthat could lead to the renewal of charges, struck from the roll last year by a Pietermaritzburg judge.

Earlier this month, the Pretoria High Court granted the NPA an order enabling it to extend its investigations of Zuma to the UK. It held that Zuma could not intervene in the application. - Sapa

With acknowledgements to Sapa and Cape Times.