Prosecuting team to make submissions on whether Zuma should be prosecuted

National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams said he would receive the recommendations next Friday from his prosecuting team on whether or not to go ahead with the prosecution of President Jacob Zuma.

Abrahams revealed this in a letter to the Democratic Alliance‚ which wanted to be provided with Zuma’s representations to Abrahams on why his prosecution should not proceed.

In October last year‚ Abrahams gave Zuma and the DA until November 30 to make further presentations on whether or not Zuma should be prosecuted.

This deadline was later extended to January 31 this year.

Abrahams had called for the representations following a judgment from the Supreme Court of Appeal in October‚ which upheld an earlier high court judgment setting aside the decision taken in April 2009 to discontinue the prosecution of Zuma on corruption charges.

In the letter to the DA on Tuesday‚ Abrahams indicated that he was awaiting legal opinion on the DA’s request‚ which would land on his desk on Wednesday afternoon.

“As such I will respond to you by Thursday‚ February 15 2018‚” Abrahams said.

Abrahams also indicated in the letter that he has given the five-person prosecuting team until next Friday to provide him with their recommendations on whether charges against Zuma should continue.

The prosecution team is led by KwaZulu-Natal director of public prosecutions Moipone Noko.

“Once same has been received‚ I will advise on the way forward‚ including the date by which I intend to announce my decision in this matter‚” Abrahams said in the letter to the DA.

DA federal council chairman James Selfe said the party believed it was entitled to the representations made by Zuma as it was the main litigant in the ongoing battle to have the charges reinstated.

“If we do not receive them we will consider approaching [the] court to obtain them‚” Selfe said. Selfe said Abrahams had also indicated when he would announce a date by which to announce the decision.

“Although painfully slow‚ we are pleased that at last there is a timetable relating to this matter.”