Former President Jacob Zuma Ordered to Pay R500k Extra to Continue With Private Prosecution

• Former President Jacob Zuma will pay an extra R500 000 deposit to continue with his private prosecution against advocate Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan
• Downer filed an application seeking to increase the security Zuma had put down from R90 000 to R1 million
• Judge Nkosinathi Chili adjourned the private prosecution in the Pietermaritzburg High Court to 2023

PIETERMARITZBURG - Former President Jacob Zuma will have to cough up an extra R500 000 deposit to continue with his private prosecution of State Advocate Billy Downer and legal journalist Karyn Maughan.

The case got underway in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday, 10 October. Zuma has accused Downer and Maughan of breaching the National Prosecuting Authority Act.

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The trial relates to the alleged leak of a doctor’s note submitted to the court while the former president’s corruption case was underway.

According to EWN, Downer filed an application seeking to increase the security Zuma had put down from R90 000 to R1 million. However, the parties decided to meet in the middle.

Meanwhile, Judge Nkosinathi Chili adjourned the private prosecution to Thursday, 2 February 2023. According to News24, he warned Downer and Maughan to appear in court.

The application to have the matter struck from the court roll has been postponed to Thursday, 8 and Friday, 9 December.

Here’s what citizens have to say about the case:

@NoleenNorris said:

“But now Zuma has money for private prosecution, but not to pay his VBS loan back?”

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@veendlovu85 posted:

“Zuma has never had any respect for our constitution. Why should he start now? Media freedom never meant anything to him.”

@Smanga_Shuku added:

“Stand with your Karyn and we stand with Zuma, let the show begin.”

Jacob Zuma dances the night away in celebration of his 15-month jail sentence expiration

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported former president Jacob Zuma celebrated his newfound “freedom” by cracking open bottles of bubbly, watching a dazzling display of fireworks and dancing the night away with his family.

Zuma was sentenced to 15 months for contempt of court after he failed to comply with the Constitutional Court’s ruling. The ruling compelled the former president to appear before the State Capture Commission of Inquiry.

The 15-month prison sentence, of which Zuma spent less than two months in jail, expired on Friday, 7 October, as confirmed by the Department of Correctional Services.

Source: Briefly News