The Scorpions will have to return documents taken from former deputy president Jacob Zuma’s Johannesburg home in August, the Witness website reported on Tuesday.
It said this was clear from a sworn statement by Scorpions chief advocate Leonard McCarthy that was handed in at the Durban High Court.
The statement formed part of the Scorpions’ reply to Zuma’s application that the raids on his properties be declared null and void.
Hundreds of documents, computer hard drives and other information were confiscated during raids on August 18 at Zuma’s properties and those of his confidantes.
A Johannesburg judge last month declared the search of the office of one of Zuma’s attorneys illegal, and ruled that all the confiscated property be returned to her.
In his application to the Durban High Court, Zuma said he was not only humiliated by the raid, but his constitutional right to privacy was also infringed.
McCarthy said in his statement there was a mistake with the date on the internal document that gave the Scorpions permission to raid Zuma’s house in Forest Town.
Transvaal Judge President Bernard Ngoepe authorised this search warrant only on August 15 — three days after warrants were obtained to search other properties.
In an internal document to Scorpions members to authorise the raids, advocate Aubrey Mngwengwe indicated the warrant for the Forest Town house was issued on August 12, along with the other warrants.
McCarthy said although the documents confiscated at the house were relevant to the investigation, they were not ”so important that [the Scorpions] must keep them”.
Zuma will again appear in the Durban Regional Court on Saturday on two charges of corruption. His trial is scheduled to get under way on July 31. — Sapa