Jacob Zuma’s Delay Tactics During Arms Deal Trial: Legal Expert Says He’s Wasting Court’s Time

• A legal expert believes that Jacob Zuma is abusing the courts and called for an end to his delay tactics
• This comes after the former president launched another application to remove State Advocate Billy Downer
• The legal expert said Zuma’s goal is to get rid of Downer and described the actions as a waste of the court’s time

JOHANNESBURG - A legal expert believes that former president Jacob Zuma’s delay tactics amid his corruption trial should be stopped. Judge Piet Koen adjourns the case until Wednesday, 19 October, when he will deliver an order on the future progress of the case.

Zuma filed an application for leave to appeal the dismissal of his special plea with the Constitutional Court on Friday, 14 October. The former president’s legal team believe that State Advocate Billy Downer is “ethically and professionally bound” to recuse himself from the case.

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According to News24, the lawyers described Downer’s presence as an “abuse” of the court. The remarks come after Zuma launched a private prosecution against Downer and a journalist for allegedly leaking his medical records.

Zuma also plans to put forward another application to remove Downer. However, legal expert Dr Llewelyn Curlewis told EWN that Zuma is abusing the court process.

He said until a judge makes a ruling to halt the former president’s legal attacks, Zuma’s legal team will continue using “technical differences”.

Curlewis said Zuma’s goal is to get rid of Downer and said it is a waste of the court’s time.

Mzansi reacts to the court case:

@phathus said:

“They should throw this man in jail and throw away the key.”

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@ItsRadebe commented:

"When Zuma abides by the Constitution, then it’s an abuse of the court process. When he ignores the court, we are told he’s not above the law. How is it an abuse of the court process when one exercises his rights enshrined in the glorified Constitution?"

@KhulekaniLuth10 posted:

"Is what president Zuma not permitted within our laws, if this is his delay strategy but permitted in our, therefore, he’s not abusing the law. To abuse, the law is when doing some thing that is not permitted by our laws, like killing another intentionally and unlawfully that is abuse."

Former President Jacob Zuma ordered to pay R500k extra to continue with private prosecution

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported 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.

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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.

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.

Source: Briefly News