Pietermaritzburg High Court Grants Zuma's Application to Have Arms Deal Case Postponed
- Former president Jacob Zuma's application to have his arms deal corruption trial postponed for three weeks has been granted
- Zuma's legal representation argued that they have been able to meet with their client and asked the court to grant them an opportunity to do so
- The National Prosecuting Authority argued that Zuma is avoiding answering the charges brought against him
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The Pietermaritzburg High Court has granted former president Jacob Zuma's application to have his arms deal corruption case postponed for at least three weeks on Tuesday morning.
Judge Piet Koen ruled in a virtual hearing broadcast on SABC News ruled that Zuma's case will be postponed until 10 August.
In the meantime, Zuma's legal representation and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) are invited to send a letter to the court and submit any considerations and or prejudice that might result from a virtual hearing by 2 August.
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NPA says Zuma is bringing up old arguments in his latest application
On Monday, the NPA stated that Zuma has been avoiding answering the charges brought against him for more than 10 years.
Zuma's legal representation brought forward an application to the Pietermaritzburg High Court Monday to have his arms deal corruption postponed for three weeks to allow him to appear in court physically and not have a virtual hearing.
Zuma is currently being held at Etscourt Correctional Centre after he was arrested on 7 July. Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in prison after the Constitutional Court found him guilty of being in contempt of court for failing to appear before the State Capture Commission of Inquiry.
NPA's Advocate Wim Trengove told the high court that Zuma's latest application for a postponement is simply rehashings of old complaints that have been dealt with by previous courts, according to News24.
"This is simply a rehash of old complaints dressed up as special defence under Section 106 (1) (h) [of the Criminal Procedure Act). But it is merely a ruse. It is recycling of old complaints," Trengove said.
Zuma's legal representative Advocate Dali Mpofu argued that Zuma's right to a fair trial would be infringed upon if his plea is heard virtually.
The NPA contended that there was no reason or need for the special petition to be heard orally and that a virtual platform was "legitimate, lawful and proper" for deciding the case based on papers already provided, according to the Daily Maverick.
Jacob Zuma's arms deal corruption trial resumed on Monday in PMB High Court
Briefly News previously reported that former president Jacob Zuma's corruption trial resumed at the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday.
Zuma is accused of 16 counts of fraud, corruption and racketeering in connection with the 1999 arms deal, reports EWN.
His arms deal trial began in May but has gone through multiple postponements and delays with Zuma's legal team tirelessly fighting to have the charges against him dropped.
Zuma is accused of accepting bribes from a French defence conglomerate Thales. The company is also facing charges of corruption and money laundering, according to a report by eNCA.
Thales has pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against the company and will appear in court on Monday, 19 July for their next hearing.
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Source: Briefly News
