Sacked SA deputy president Zuma wants his day in court

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s axed deputy president Jacob Zuma goes back to court this week, nearly four months after he was charged with corruption in a case that has shaken the leadership to its core.

But what promises to be the most politically charged trial of South Africa’s post-apartheid era is not expected to begin before March, frustrating Zuma’s plan for a speedy trial. “What I am saying is that the trial must be dealt with in a fair manner.There must not be an abuse of power,” Zuma said ahead of his appearance in the Durban Magistrate’s Court tomorrow.”The first line of defence that I will use in my trial is that this trial was not fair and it is a defence that I will use until the end,” he said.Prosecutors are expected to ask the court for more time to complete their investigation and put the final touches to the indictment against Zuma, said defence lawyer Michael Hulley.”We are of a mind to resist the application because we are of the view that the state has had sufficient time to investigate the case,” Hulley told AFP.”Normally, one would expect that they would investigate the case prior to charges being laid.”The delay is partly a result of the Scorpions investigating unit conducting raids on several of Zuma’s properties and his attorney’s offices in August.Scorpions prosecutor Anton Steynberg said it had yielded some 93 000 documents that had to be scrutinised, including “many thousands” of pages of new bank records, the Sunday Independent newspaper reported.The Johannesburg High Court has already ruled the raid on Zuma’s attorney’s offices as unlawful, and now his lawyers are also challenging the legality of the swoop on his homes.If successful, it would be a heavy blow to the prosecution.If convicted, Zuma faces a 15-year jail sentence.- Nampa-AFP”What I am saying is that the trial must be dealt with in a fair manner.There must not be an abuse of power,” Zuma said ahead of his appearance in the Durban Magistrate’s Court tomorrow.”The first line of defence that I will use in my trial is that this trial was not fair and it is a defence that I will use until the end,” he said.Prosecutors are expected to ask the court for more time to complete their investigation and put the final touches to the indictment against Zuma, said defence lawyer Michael Hulley.”We are of a mind to resist the application because we are of the view that the state has had sufficient time to investigate the case,” Hulley told AFP.”Normally, one would expect that they would investigate the case prior to charges being laid.”The delay is partly a result of the Scorpions investigating unit conducting raids on several of Zuma’s properties and his attorney’s offices in August.Scorpions prosecutor Anton Steynberg said it had yielded some 93 000 documents that had to be scrutinised, including “many thousands” of pages of new bank records, the Sunday Independent newspaper reported.The Johannesburg High Court has already ruled the raid on Zuma’s attorney’s offices as unlawful, and now his lawyers are also challenging the legality of the swoop on his homes.If successful, it would be a heavy blow to the prosecution.If convicted, Zuma faces a 15-year jail sentence.- Nampa-AFP