The Scorpions’ investigations into African National Congress (ANC) deputy president Jacob Zuma are calculated to undermine any leadership role he holds or is called to hold in the ANC, his lawyer said on Thursday.
Michael Hulley said a recent meeting convened by the head of the Directorate of Special Operations (Scorpions), which aimed to consider resolutions adopted by the ANC at its mid-year policy conference, was a matter of ”grave concern”.
”It is a matter of concern that the Scorpions would deem it necessary to react to resolutions of a political party in a manner which influences its prosecutorial decisions against Mr Zuma and other named individuals,” he said.
Hulley said that at the meeting, the ”Zuma matter” was considered problematic and needed to be handled in view of the ANC national conference in December.
He said that according to the minutes of the meeting, Scorpions head Leonard McCarthy and other regional heads and investigators resolved to use ”Hollywood-style” tactics to ”market” the Scorpions, lobby politicians favourable to the Scorpions ”with a view to influence them”, and lobby named business executives favourable to the Scorpions in order to similarly influence them.
This all needed to be done before the national conference, he said.
”This has re-affirmed the long-held view that the ongoing investigation against Mr Zuma is influenced by improper political motive, calculated to frustrate any leadership role to which Mr Zuma may be called by the membership of the ANC,” he said.
Hulley said repeated denials by the National Prosecuting Authority and in turn the Scorpions that they had acted without favour or prejudice regarding Zuma, were, in light of recent findings, a ”cold comfort”. — Sapa