Former President Jacob Zuma's Private Prosecution Dismissed by High Court

The KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg has dismissed former President Jacob Zuma's private prosecution removed court roll against state advocate Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan. Judge Nkosinathi Chili ruled that Zuma's private prosecution should be removed from the roll pending the finalization of his appeal against the order of the full court that invalidated his private prosecution.

Zuma had accused Downer, the lead prosecutor in his arms deal corruption case, and Maughan of illegally leaking his medical records. However, multiple court rulings have confirmed that the court papers in question did not contain Zuma's confidential medical information. The full bench had previously dismissed Zuma's case as a baseless abuse of process.

The judge ordered that the private prosecution be removed from the roll, without prejudice to Zuma's rights under the Criminal Procedure Act. Downer and Maughan will be directed to appear as accused persons in the private prosecution if Zuma's appeal against the invalidation of the private prosecution is successful.

Zuma has launched numerous appeals, including to the Supreme Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court, which have all been dismissed. The various court judgments have labeled Zuma's private prosecution as an 'abuse' and a tactic to delay the arms deal trial, where Downer serves as the prosecutor.

Why this matters: The dismissal of Zuma's case private prosecution case State Prosecuto is a significant development in the ongoing legal battles surrounding the former president. It highlights the courts' stance against what they perceive as attempts to delay or obstruct justice in the arms deal corruption case.

In a separate legal matter, Zuma has also accused his successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa, of complicity in the alleged conduct of Downer and Maughan. That matter has been postponed to August 6, 2023, pending Zuma's appeal, which Ramaphosa is opposing. Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has appealed the Electoral Court's decision to allow Zuma to contest the elections on the ballot of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, despite his contempt of court conviction.

Key Takeaways

• KZN court dismissed Zuma's private prosecution against Downer and Maughan.
• Zuma accused Downer and Maughan of illegally leaking his medical records.
• Courts ruled Zuma's private prosecution as an 'abuse' and a tactic to delay.
• Zuma has launched numerous appeals, all of which have been dismissed.
• Zuma also accused Ramaphosa of complicity in Downer and Maughan's alleged conduct.