The Mauritian Attorney General (AG) has asked for more time to prepare his documentation in African National Congress president Jacob Zuma’s court battle, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) reported on Friday.
Rama Valayden wants to counter Zuma’s attempt to prevent Mauritius from handing documentation seized in 2001 over to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
These documents allegedly include a diary with minutes of a meeting between Zuma, Schabir Shaik and Thint (a French arms manufacturer), where it was allegedly agreed that Zuma would pocket a bribe of R500 000 per year in exchange for his political influence and protection from an arms-deal inquiry.
The SABC said Valayden was expected to hand his answering affidavit to the Mauritian Supreme Court on Friday. Zuma filed his first affidavits last month.
Michael Hulley, Zuma’s lawyer, said they had received notice that the Mauritian Attorney General would now file on March 24.
Zuma will launch a Constitutional Court application next week to try and prevent the NPA from getting the documents.
He will also apply to appeal against the search-and-seizure operation in 2005 at his home and at Hulley’s and Thint’s offices in South Africa. — Sapa