Legal Expert, Elton Hart says former President Jacob Zuma’s continuous efforts to appeal at the courts to have prosecutor Advocate Billy Downer removed from the arms deal corruption trial is a futile exercise.
This as the Pietermaritzburg High Court dismissed Zuma’s application to have Downer removed from his case.
Zuma’s legal counsel Advocate Dali Mpofu has told the same court that his client has instructed him to seek leave to appeal today’s ruling.
Hart explains: “We cannot dictate to the prosecuting authority as to who they should employ in prosecuting a case. Because they have to check who is the best suited to deal with this type of matter. So, he cannot [say] I want him to leave because he cannot prove that he doesn’t have delegation from the NPA.”
“He [Zuma] can’t dictate delegation. So, he cannot choose and I think he has a right to appeal the decision if he is not happy, but I certainly think it will be an unsuccessful appeal.”
Below is the full interview
