Zuma lawyers to argue merits of appeal bid against spy tapes ruling‚ SCA orders

President Jacob Zuma during the election results announcement held in Pretoria. Picture Credit: Mabuti Kali/Sowetan/Sunday World
President Jacob Zuma during the election results announcement held in Pretoria. Picture Credit: Mabuti Kali/Sowetan/Sunday World

The Supreme Court of Appeal wants President Jacob Zuma’s legal team to bring his argument for leave to appeal the reinstatement of his 783 corruption charges orally.

In an order made public on Wednesday the court added that‚ “the parties must be prepared‚ if called upon to do so‚ to address the court on the merits“.

It gave Zuma a month to file additional copies of his papers for leave to appeal.

A full bench of the Pretoria High Court in April reviewed and set aside the 2009 decision by acting national director of public prosecutions Mokotedi Mpshe to discontinue the Zuma’s prosecution.

This following a seven-year-long legal battle by the Democratic Alliance.

The ruling effectively reinstated 783 charges of fraud‚ corruption and racketeering against Zuma relating to payments he had allegedly received from his former financial advisor Schabir Shaik.

Mpshe had dropped the charges because he believed Scorpions boss Leonard McCarthy had manipulated the timing of when to serve the indictment against Zuma.

The Pretoria High Court found there was no rational link between the conduct of McCarthy and Mpshe’s decision to discontinue the prosecution.

The Constitutional Court last month refused to hear an application by the National Prosecuting Authority‚ which is also party to the matter‚ for leave to appeal the high court’s decision.

NPA spokesperson Luvuyo Mfaku said last week‚ “it is clear that the Constitutional Court was mindful of the pending petition [by Zuma] to the president of the Supreme Court of Appeal‚” because it made no reference to the merits of the appeal. — TMG Digital

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