The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Wednesday it was yet to make a decision regarding the North Gauteng High Court judgement that set aside the decision by former acting national director of public prosecutions Mokotedi Mpshe to withdraw corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma back in 2009.
“We are still studying the judgement … considering and reflecting on it. No decision has been made yet,” said NPA spokesperson Luvuyo Mfaku.
Delivering the judgement on April 29 on behalf of a full bench, Judge Aubrey Ledwaba found that the decision taken by Mpshe to drop the corruption charges against Zuma in 2009 was irrational and thus set it aside. Ledwaba further ruled that the matter needed to be reviewed.
The case around the so-called “spy tapes” was brought by the Democratic Alliance which asked the court to review the decision to drop 783 charges of fraud, corruption and racketeering against Zuma.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane has reportedly written to NPA head Shaun Abrahams telling him that he has until Friday to make his decision known regarding the judgment. Maimane said that was the deadline set by the high court in its judgment.
Mfaku said the 14-day deadline set by the judgment did not include holidays and weekends.
“The order is clear in the judgment, giving us 14 days within which to make a decision. The deadline is the 20th, after counting 14 working days, and not the 13th (of May),” he said. – African News Agency (ANA)