/ 5 April 2009

Zuma a ‘free man’

ANC president Jacob Zuma is expected to be free from the shadow of prosecution from Monday, a media report said on Sunday.

The Sunday Times said it believed that acting National Prosecuting Authority boss Mokotedi Mpshe would announce that graft charges against the ruling party’s president had been dropped.

The Sunday Times said Mpshe was also expected to say that the police would start investigations into the conduct of several high-profile South Africans for allegedly meddling in the NPA’s case against Zuma.

NPA spokesperson Tlali Tlali said the NPA would brief the media on the decision at 10.30am on Monday.

”This decision could go either way,” he said.

ANC spokesperson Lindiwe Zulu said on Friday the wait for news on the fate of Zuma was ”really a bit heavy” but that the party respected the legal process.

”Whichever way, we hope they come to a decision. The waiting is not a very good thing, the entire NEC [national executive committee], the entire ANC, the public is waiting but at the same time we do hope the NPA is delaying because they are really exercising their mind to this.

”We respect the legal process,” she said.

The Sunday Times said the NPA had already informed Zuma about its decision.

The paper said Mpshe decided to drop the charges after Zuma presented evidence which pointed to political interference in the case.

The evidence, which includes spy tapes, allegedly implicate, among others, former president Thabo Mbeki, former director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka, former Scorpions head Leonard McCarthy and former justice and constitutional development minister Brigitte Mabandla, said the paper.