The two most senior judges in the Supreme Court of Appeal will form part of a full bench to hear the appeal of Schabir Shaik later this year, the Witness reported on Monday.
They are Judge Craig Howie, president of the court, and his deputy Judge Lex Mpati.
The other judges on the bench would be Piet Streicher, Mahomed Navsa and John Heher, the paper reported. Shaik’s appeal might be heard in August or September.
The judges must rule in an appeal that will not only decide whether Shaik will be jailed, but will also raise interest because of Shaik’s close ties with Jacob Zuma.
Tens of thousands of court documents have been handed in to the court. The state, which will oppose the appeal, has not yet filed its documents.
The judges will have two tasks. First, Shaik’s appeal against his conviction and 15-year sentence on a charge of corruption. They also had to decide whether Shaik may appeal against a second 15-year sentence for his ”generally corrupt relationship” with Zuma.
Neither trial judge Hilary Squires nor the appeal court has yet granted leave to appeal against this charge, the appeal judges asking for oral argument.
If the judges do not grant the appeal, Shaik will be sent to prison for 15 years, even if he wins the first appeal. – Sapa