Zuma instructs legal team to proceed with application for leave to appeal latest ruling in Downer matter
The High Court in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday dismissed his latest bid to remove Billy Downer as the lead prosecutor in the arms deal corruption case.
Jacob Zuma And Advocate Dali Mpofu At The Pietermaritzburg High Court On 20 March 2023. Picture Xanderleigh Dookey Makhazaeyewitness News
BLOEMFONTEIN - It looks like former President Jacob Zuma won’t be taking his latest court loss lying down.
The High Court in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday dismissed his latest bid to remove Billy Downer as the lead prosecutor in the arms deal corruption case.
However, his legal team has already indicated that they plan on challenging the ruling.
Advocate Dali Mpofu on Wednesday told the court that they already have instructions from Zuma to forge ahead with an application for leave to appeal.
"Obviously, we had to deal with each scenario that might pan out today. So we stand with firm instructions to proceed with an application for leave to appeal, given the ruling now."
Judge Nkosinathi Chili, who handed down the court’s decision, didn’t provide reasons and said instead that he would do so in his final judgment at the end of the trial.
This does raise questions about how exactly an appeal bid would work at this stage.
However, Mpofu seems to think this won’t have much of an impact on their plans.
"It might just change by which section we proceed or some preliminary stages before the actual application for leave to appeal."
In the meantime, the matter has now been adjourned to 17 May for a pre-trial conference.
The State had pushed for it to be postponed to the third term for trial, in light of the multiple delays that have already been occasioned, but Mpofu indicated that he needed time to consult with his time on their availability.