Former president Jacob Zuma. (Darren Stewart/Gallo images)
Former president Jacob Zuma has suffered a sixth legal loss in his
campaign to privately prosecute State advocate Billy Downer and this writer,
after Supreme Court of Appeal President Mahube Molemela dismissed his latest
appeal bid.
In a two-page order, Molemela found “no exceptional circumstances
warranting reconsideration or variation of the decision refusing [Zuma’s]
application for leave to appeal” the Kwazulu-Natal High Court in
Pietermaritzburg’s invalidation of his private prosecution.
Three full Bench rulings have confirmed that Zuma’s attempt to charge
Downer and this writer over the sharing of public court papers, which contained
a “vague” sick note from one of his doctors, was an abuse of process
that has been pursued as part of the former president’s “Stalingrad”
strategy to avoid trial for Arms Deal corruption with futile litigation and
endless appeals.
Last week, Kwazulu-Natal High Court Judge Nkosinathi Chili dismissed
Zuma’s second attempt to force Downer’s removal as his prosecutor and said he
would give reasons for his decision in his final trial judgment.
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.