Jacob Zuma Loses Bid to Privately Prosecute Billy Downer and Karyn Maughan, Matter Dismissed With Costs

• Former President Jacob Zuma's private prosecution has finally come to an end in the Pietermaritzburg High Court
• The court found in favour of state advocate Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan, dismissing the matter with costs
• Zuma was trying to privately prosecute Downer and Maughan for allegedly leaking his confidential medical information

PIETERMARITZBURG - Former President Jacob Zuma has suffered a major legal blow after the Pietermaritzburg High Court threw out his private prosecution of state advocate Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan.

Jacob Zuma's private prosecution set aside with costs

Downer and Maughan won their case to have the private prosecution set aside, with the court dismissing the matter with costs on Wednesday, 7 June, SABC News reported.

The former president had set his sights on the pair in September 2022 when he summoned Downer and Maughan to appear in the prosecution.

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Jacob Zuma wanted to prosecute Billy Downer and Karyn Maughan over "leaked" medical information

Zumd accused Downer of leaking his confidential medical information by providing Maughan with a doctor's note. The note was filled as part of the former president's corruption trial, EWN reported.

Downer and Maughan challenged the summons every step of the way, resulting in the Pietermaritzburg court ruling in their favour.

South Africans divided dismissal of Jacob Zuma's private prosecution

Below are some comments:

@KaraboPDube suggested:

"Zuma should enjoy his undeserved retirement benefits and stop these frivolous litigations."

@outwithANC celebrated:

"Brilliant, now to prosecute him and send him to jail once and for all."

@malusi_dzanibe added:

"Umtomdala must just accept that these lawyers are letting him down."

@EdS_888 said:

"Let’s hear the ‘Judiciary is captured’ brigade."

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@KkKakaza claimed:

"There was never a case here, this was just a fantasy of Zuma and his legal team."

Malema hopes Zuma will join the EFF, video of invitation leaves SA in disbelief: “That will be interesting”

In another story, Briefly News reported that the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema said he hoped former president Jacob Zuma would soon become a member of his party.

Malema expressed that Zuma is more than welcome to join the EFF, just like Mzwanele Manyi, who jumped ship from the African Transformation Movement (ATM) and became a member of the red berets.

The EFF's Commander in Chief (CIC) was addressing the press at the party's 10th-anniversary celebrations at the Elkana Child Care Centre in the Western Cape.

Source: Briefly News