ARMS DEAL TRIAL: ‘Stalingrad Season 27’: Prosecution asks high court to rule against Jacob Zuma’s latest application

Jacob Zuma said in his papers, filed over the weekend, that he wanted to be present in court for his trial, as was his constitutional right, and that a virtual platform would infringe on this.Presiding officer, Judge Piet Koen, had issued a directive saying the special plea application, which was set down for Monday, should be held virtually.

Many of the lawyers involved in the case are based in Johannesburg. Travel to and from that province is currently temporarily banned in terms of Covid-19 restrictions. Zuma’s physical appearances at court tend to attract crowds of supporters. Large gatherings of any sort are also temporarily banned due to Covid.

Zuma was represented on Monday by senior counsels Dali Mpofu and Thabani Masuku. The latter, responding to Trengove’s opposition to a postponement, said the trial being postponed by three weeks would make no difference to any of the parties, as the former president had already been walking this road for “15 years”.

Through his special plea, Zuma is seeking to have veteran prosecutor Billy Downer removed from the Arms Deal trial on the grounds that he lacks impartiality and has no title to prosecute. The former president believes that should he be successful, he will be entitled to an acquittal. The state has dismissed this, saying that there are others who can prosecute Zuma.

“The hearing of this debate, on a virtual platform, is a public hearing to which the public have access, and in the presence of the accused. He is present on the platform.

Source: Law Daily Report (lawdailyreport.net)

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