Decision expected in battle for Mauritian documents

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) will know on Tuesday whether it has succeeded in obtaining an execution order to allow it to retrieve documents from Mauritius about meetings believed to relate to arms-deal corruption.

Judge Jan Hugo, who heard argument this week from the state, African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma and French arms manufacturing giant Thint, will reveal his decision on whether he has granted the execution order allowing the NPA to proceed with a letter of authorisation that had been granted earlier in the year by Philip Levensohn.

However, Thint and Zuma have appealed against Levensohn’s letter of authorisation and the Supreme Court of Appeal will hear the matter in Bloemfontein on September 21.

Should Hugo rule in the NPA’s favour then it can begin taking the necessary legal steps in Mauritius to retrieve the documents, which are believed to include the dairy of former Thint executive Alain Thetard.

The diary allegedly had an entry that indicates convicted Durban businessman Schabir Shaik, Thetard and Zuma met to iron out details of an alleged R500 000-a-year bribe for Zuma.

Last Tuesday Hugo asked Zuma’s advocate, Kemp J Kemp: “If a person professes his innocence, then why go to all these lengths to prevent the evidence being obtained?”

Kemp replied: “We think it is important. This is not like a fight between two champ fighters. This is more like Stalingrad. It’s burning house to burning house.”

Kemp then told Hugo: “If I can keep it [the evidence] out, it is my duty to keep it out. If it advances the accused’s battle plan why should we give that up?”—Sapa