/ 20 October 2017

NPA gives Zuma until November 30 to explain why corruption case must be dropped

President Jacob Zuma got through his questions session in the National Assembly last week
President Jacob Zuma got through his questions session in the National Assembly last week

The National Prosecuting Authority has given President Jacob Zuma until November 30 to make representations on why the corruption case against him should be dropped. 

In a statement issued on Friday, the NPA said the National Director of Public Prosecutions “is of the view that in light of the judgment of the SCA, it appears that any further representations envisaged by Mr Zuma should relate to issues not previously considered”

The Supreme Court of Appeal on October 13 rejected, with costs, Zuma’s appeal in his long-running battle to avoid prosecution for fraud and corruption.

Handing down Justice Mahomed Navsa’s judgment on behalf of a unanimous court, Supreme Court of Appeal Justice Eric Leach said the High Court’s judgment – that the decision to drop corruption charges against Zuma was irrational – “cannot be faulted”.

Zuma and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) wanted the appeal court to overturn the High Court’s decision, which found that the 2009 decision by acting prosecutions head Mokotedi Mpshe to drop the 783 counts of fraud, corruption and racketeering, was irrational.

Handing down judgment, Justice Leach pointed to a number of ways in which Mpshe’s decision was irrational – including the fact that the prosecution team had been excluded from the decision. – Additional reporting by News24