Jacob Zuma Suffers Another Legal Blow, Ordered to Pay Costs After Court Rules in Favour of Maughan and Downer

• Former President Jacob Zuma has lost another legal battle in the Pietermaritzburg High Court
• The court granted Karyn Maughan and Billy Downer an enforcement order on its ruling on Zuma's public prosecution
• The former president was also ordered to pay costs, including Downer and Maughan's legal counsel fees

PIETERMARITZBURG - Journalist Karyn Maughan and state prosecutor Billy Downer are taking another victory lap after the Pietermaritzburg High Court ruled in their favour.

The court granted Maughn and Downer an enforcement order on its 7 June ruling, declaring Former President Jacob Zuma's private prosecution unlawful and setting it aside.

Maughan took to Twitter to announce her victory and posted a picture of the judgement. The journalist claimed that the decision effectively meant that the court's previous ruling stands despite Zuma's application for leave to appeal.

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Jacob Zuma returns to SA following extended medical trip to Russia as private prosecution court date looms

Pietermaritzburg court orders Zuma to pay costs

In addition to declining to suspend the ruling, the court ordered Zuma to pay the costs of the proceeding and the bill for both Downer and Maughan's legal counsel, The Citizen reported.

This is the latest punitive legal cost the former president has been slapped with. Zuma was also ordered to pay costs when his private prosecution against President Cyril Ramaphosa was set aside.

South Africans welcome Jacob Zuma's latest legal loss

Below are some comments:

@goolammv gloated:

"Another massive loss for Dali Mpofu. Dali is useless and cannot win a case to save his life."

@ChrisRoper quipped:

"Have we done the rand-to-rouble conversion on that yet?"

@SikhoPhilani added:

"You would swear Adv Mpofu and his Clients take Ls for a living! Mvubeli came back just to lose!"

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@enzosabela celebrated:

"A massive win for journalism."

Jacob Zuma returns to SA following extended medical trip to Russia as private prosecution court date looms

Earlier, Briefly News reported that Former President Jacob Zuma is back in South Africa after jetting off to Russia to receive medical treatment for a mysterious illness.

Zuma's return comes just in time for the former president to attend a private prosecution matter that will be heard in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg on Friday, 4 July, News24 reported.

Legal journalist Karyn Maughan and state advocate Billy Downer filed an enforcement appeal to stop any action from Zuma's private prosecution, while the former president appealed the ruling that it was an abuse of power.

Source: Briefly News