Jacob Zuma Ordered to Settle Cyril Ramaphosa's Legal Bills After Court Throws Out Private Prosecution

• Former president Jacob Zuma's private prosecution of President Cyril Ramaphosa has been declared unlawful
• The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg ordered Zuma to settle the president's legal bill in addition to his counsel
• the former president attempted to prosecute Ramaphosa for failing to act when Zuma accused Billy Downer of leaking his medical information

JOHANNESBURG - The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg has put the final nail in the coffin of former president Jacob Zuma's private prosecutions.

The former president's bid to privately prosecute President Cyril Ramaphosa was declared unlawful and constitutional and was ultimately set aside by the high court judge.

Zuma was also ordered to pay President Ramaphosa's legal bills in addition to the cost of two of his counsel, The Citizen reported.

Zuma's latest legal blow comes a little under a month after the former president's similar private prosecution against state advocate Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan was thrown out.

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Jacob Zuma's private prosecution bids stem from 'leaked' medical information

Zuma's private prosecution mission started with Downer and Maughan, based on the accusation that the state prosecutor leaked his confidential medical information to Maughan, EWN reported.

On the eve of the African National Congress' (ANC) national elective conference on 15 December 2022, Zuma dragged the president into the matter, accusing Ramaphosa of being an accessory after the fact.

Zuma claimed that President Ramaphosa failed to intervene when he made a complaint about Downer's conduct.

South Africa divided by Jacob Zuma's private prosecution of Cyril Ramaphosa being set aside

Below are some comments:

@malalaveve said:

"First of all, Zuma never had a nolle prosequi certificate to prosecute Ramaphosa."

@Zu7Guluva commented:

"Now, this is proof that judges are captured."

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@ced_shab added:

"Not surprised at all. Former president Zuma was grasping at straws here."

@MujuziProf claimed:

"This isn't surprising in light of the court's decision in the Downer and Maughan case."

Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane wins court order barring Cyril Ramaphosa from investigating qualifications

Earlier, Briefly News reported that the High Court in the Eastern Cape granted Premier Oscar Mabuyane's bid to interdict the SIU and President Cyril Rampahosa from probing his Fort Hare University qualifications.

According to EWN, President Cyril Ramaphosa moved the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate the university for maladministration and corruption.

The motion comes after the premier was accused of illegal admission to a Masters programme with the institution and then changing the M-Admin programme into a doctorate.

Source: Briefly News