NPA still awaiting submission of Zuma's papers in support of application for Downer’s recusal

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Wednesday afternoon that it had not yet received Jacob Zuma's court papers providing reasons for his objecting to advocate Billy Downer prosecuting him in his corruption trial at the Pietermaritzburg high court.

NPA spokesperson Sipho Ngwema said: “The relevant special plea document has not been submitted to the NPA yet. It will be a public document if it is served on the registrar, which it has not yet been, as far as we know.”

A member of Zuma’s legal team earlier told TimesLIVE the papers were with the former president’s attorneys. 

Zuma will have to prove to the court that lead prosecutor Downer, who has spent close to 15 years to bring him to book, is not entitled to prosecute him.

The matter will be discussed after Zuma’s plea of not guilty is recorded in court on May 26.

Ngwema said outside court after Zuma’s appearance on Monday that the state still had to hear on what basis Zuma is objecting to Downer.

“Billy Downer is a member of the NPA. He has been dealing with them for two decades. He is the one in Durban who prosecuted Schabir Shaik on the same issues, so we have to wait to see what their objection is,” he said.

In the past, Zuma’s defence team was accused of adopting a “Stalingrad approach” by launching court applications to delay the start of the corruption trial while the state has always said it was ready to proceed.

In 2007, Zuma’s then-advocate Kemp J Kemp told the Durban high court: “We have adopted a Stalingrad strategy in response to this prosecution ... we will fight [the state] in every street, in every house, and in every room.”

Since then, under instruction from Zuma’s long-time attorney Michael Hulley, his defence team tried every possible legal avenue to prevent him from being prosecuted.

Zuma is accused of receiving an annual bribe of R500,000 from French arms dealer Thales for protection from an investigation into the controversial arms deal.

The alleged bribe was facilitated by Shaik, who was Zuma’s former financial adviser.

TimesLIVE