Zuma lawyer mum on legal bills report

JOHANNESBURG – Jacob Zuma’s attorney Michael Hulley yesterday declined to comment on a report that he has threatened legal action against the state attorney for failing to pay his client’s mounting legal bills.

The Star newspaper reported earlier yesterday that Aletta Mosidi, head of the state attorney’s office in Pretoria, had confirmed that she received a letter from Hulley to this effect. Hulley, the report said, had complained about the state’s failure “to reinstate its undertaking to pay part of the African National Congress president’s legal costs”.Asked about the report, Hulley told Sapa: “I would prefer not to on that at this stage.”According to the report, the state attorney’s office was awaiting a account of how Zuma spent R9 million in legal funding he had already received from the state.Mosidi was quoted as saying: “The ball is in Mr Hulley’s court…it only when we receive an itemised bill from him that this issue can be resolved.”The presidency is carrying the cost of Zuma’s fees as the corruption against him relate to the time he was deputy president of the country.Zuma was relieved of his duties as deputy president of South Africa on 14 June 2005.Mosidi declined to speak to Sapa.Justice ministry spokesman Zolile Nqayi said he was not aware that department was not paying up for Zuma’s legal fees.”That is not even an issue as I understand it.We would just like towhat work counsel has done,” he said.Nampa-SapaHulley, the report said, had complained about the state’s failure “to reinstate its undertaking to pay part of the African National Congress president’s legal costs”.Asked about the report, Hulley told Sapa: “I would prefer not to on that at this stage.”According to the report, the state attorney’s office was awaiting a account of how Zuma spent R9 million in legal funding he had already received from the state.Mosidi was quoted as saying: “The ball is in Mr Hulley’s court…it only when we receive an itemised bill from him that this issue can be resolved.”The presidency is carrying the cost of Zuma’s fees as the corruption against him relate to the time he was deputy president of the country.Zuma was relieved of his duties as deputy president of South Africa on 14 June 2005.Mosidi declined to speak to Sapa.Justice ministry spokesman Zolile Nqayi said he was not aware that department was not paying up for Zuma’s legal fees.”That is not even an issue as I understand it.We would just like towhat work counsel has done,” he said.Nampa-Sapa