Johannesburg - The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has echoed Pietermaritzburg High Court Judge Piet Koen’s words by dismissing former president Jacob Zuma’s application to appeal his corruption prosecution by ruling that there is “no reasonable prospect of success”.
The SCA dismissed with costs the application for leave to appeal by Zuma, not only on the ground that there was no reasonable prospect of success on appeal, but also that there was “no other compelling reason why an appeal should be heard”.
Zuma had asked the appeal court for the right to challenge Koen's dismissal of his "special plea" application.
Zuma wanted Downer to be removed as the chief prosecutor of his arms deal corruption case, accusing him of compromising bias against him, and having acted unlawfully on several occasions while handling confidential information.
His “special plea” also included his case that witnesses should be called to testify about the abuses he claims to have suffered at the hands of the state.
Koen, citing several reasons, said he saw no prospects of success and the high stakes corruption trial must go ahead on April 11, 2022.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said the NPA welcomed the judgment and will now focus on ensuring that the trial resumes in April.
Issuing strong instructions before setting the trial date, Koen told Zuma’s legal team to ensure that the former head of state should avail himself on the said date so that the arms deal corruption trial, which he previously said had been long delayed, could proceed.
kailene.pillay@inl.co.za
Political Bureau