Photo by Emmanuel Croset / AFP
Photo by Emmanuel Croset / AFP
Yes, Mr. ‘I want my day in court’ is now pulling out all the stops to get his corruption trial postponed again. Jacob Zuma, currently incarcerated at Estcourt Prison in KZN, will see his fraud case resume in Pietermaritzburg on Monday – and we’ve got a live stream of the proceedings featured below in this article.
Why is Jacob Zuma in court again?
For those of you struggling to keep up with the latest legal wrangle Zuma finds himself in, we don’t blame you – he is currently mired in litigation. However, the corruption trial has been operating on a stop-start basis for the past three years. A constant stream of delays and interruptions has kicked the can of responsibility down the road for uBaba.
His shady agreements with French arms dealer Thales back in the 1990s landed him with 16 separate criminal charges, including fraud and racketeering. In his last court appearance at the PMB facility, Zuma pleaded not guilty. But this time around, he’s upping the ante – and the former president’s legal team thinks it can bamboozle the bench again.
Watch: LIVE STREAM of the Jacob Zuma corruption trial, Monday 19 July
How the defence plans to secure another delay
The Zuma camp is quietly assured that they can derail the trial once more. Later today, lawyers plan to get lead prosecutor Billy Downer recused from the case, accusing him of having an outstanding bias against Msholozi. They also claim that the QC has worked for the CIA and openly wants to discredit the ex-head of state – but these allegations are unverified.
What is more, the nature of the hearing – held online via a virtual platform – has irked Jacob Zuma and his legal collective. They believe that a trial of this magnitude can only be held in person, and therefore, must wait until Level 4 coronavirus restrictions are lifted. They have also cited concerns about holding this corruption trial following the recent riots.
JGZ Foundation pushes for postponement
Much of the unrest which gripped South Africa last week was linked to Zuma supporters who were angered by his arrest. Without a hint of irony, the JGZ Foundation called for ‘more calm in the country’ before this trial resumes.
The Foundation is concerned that the directions issued by the Court in PMB to hear the matter virtually are not consistent with provisions of both the CPA and the Constitution as set out below.
— JGZuma Foundation (Official) (@JGZ_Foundation) July 17, 2021
The matter must be heard physically on the 19th or later when the country is calmer. pic.twitter.com/cTo4N6mJnz
