Here is the team that will decide if Zuma must face corruption charges

Advocate Moipone Noko is the person leading the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) team that is considering President Jacob Zuma’s representations on corruption charges.

Noko and her team‚ once they have considered the representations‚ will make recommendations to NPA boss Shaun Abrahams on whether Zuma should face charges.

Here is a snapshot of the team members:

Moipone Noko – KwaZulu-Natal’s director of public prosecutions – was appointed to her position in 2013 by Zuma‚ despite reportedly being investigated for maladministration‚ favouritism and abuse of her office.

City Press‚ at the time of her appointment‚ reported that Noko had decided to withdraw charges of intimidation and harassment against one of Zuma’s wives‚ Tobeka Madiba-Zuma. The domestic worker of Madiba-Zuma had reportedly laid a complaint of intimidation against the president’s wife in 2013.

In the past decade the NPA has been accused of protecting Zuma‚ and Noko’s history could create a perception that she is sympathetic to the president.

Noko is being assisted by Eastern Cape director of public prosecutions Lungi Mahlati; senior deputy director of public prosecutions in the Western Cape Billy Downer; a senior deputy director of public prosecutions‚ Raymond Mathunjwa; and Bloemfontein regional head Alinicia Coetzee.

Downer was one of the senior prosecutors who in 2007 said he believed Zuma should be prosecuted. The charges against Zuma were dropped in 2009 by then acting prosecutions chief Mokotedi Mpshe‚ who believed there had been political interference when deciding on the date to serve the indictment.

What do the possible charges relate to?

The president is facing possible prosecution on counts of fraud‚ corruption‚ racketeering‚ money laundering and tax evasion relating to allegedly soliciting kickbacks from companies during the 1999 arms deal which saw the government buy fighter jets‚ navy patrol boats and submarines.

Durban businessman Schabir Shaik was convicted in 2005 of soliciting bribes from a French arms company. In his trial it was revealed how the former “financial advisor” paid money to Zuma or his family over several years to cover expenses such as hospital bills‚ debt‚ rent‚ vehicles‚ bonds‚ traffic fines and school fees. Zuma allegedly received more than R4 million in 783 payments and‚ in turn‚ allegedly tried to help Shaik’s business partners.

The Democratic Alliance has fought for over eight years to have Zuma face the corruption charges. There could be 218 potential witnesses if the case proceeds.

*This article has been edited from a report first published in Business Day on 1 December 2017