Zuma case is almost off the roll |
Publication |
Cape Argus |
Date | 2009-05-06 |
Reporter | Sapa |
Web Link |
Efforts are under way to remove the last trace of incoming president Jacob
Zuma's legal woes as the Constitutional Court removes one last challenge by his
legal team from their court roll, an official said on Wednesday.
The court had set down May 12 for Zuma's lawyers to argue against a finding by
the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) which would have revived the prosecution
against him after Pietermaritzburg High Court Judge Chris Nicholson set it
aside.
Zuma's legal team decided to appeal the SCA ruling in the Constitutional Court.
The intended prosecution was abandoned on April 6, just before the April 22
national elections that secured Zuma's place as the country's next president.
This followed representations to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) by
Zuma's lawyers.
The deciding factor was the discovery of recordings made of senior NPA officials
which appeared to indicate that there had been outside interference in the
prosecutorial process.
A Constitutional Court official said they had received official notice from
Zuma's lawyers that a settlement had been reached and the judges would now have
to issue a court order to confirm this and to take the matter off the roll.
Zuma's attorney Michael Hulley confirmed they had notified the court that
the matter had been settled.
The case had involved allegations of corruption relating to a multi-billion
dollar arms deal, with international arms company Thint, a co-accused in the
case. Charges against them were also dropped.
A court appearance would not be necessary, the official said. - Sapa
With acknowledgements to Sapa and Cape Argus.