Former President Jacob Zuma has filed a new application at the Pietermaritzburg High Court for the recusal of the state prosecutor in his fraud and corruption case Advocate Billy Downer.
In this fresh application, Zuma accuses Downer of conflict of interest and further says his appointment as the state prosecutor in this matter is unconstitutional.
Zuma appeared at the Pietermaritzburg High Court. The matter was postponed to the 15th and 16th of August for a hearing on the recusal application.
Zuma’s previous application was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Appeal.
In this new application, Zuma says Downer is currently facing a private prosecution for his alleged misconduct regarding the leaking of documents which included the medical records to News24 journalist Karyn Maughn.
Zuma still insists that Downer lacks the attributes of impartiality and independence. Presiding Judge Nkosinathi Chili postponed the matter to August in order to allow for the exchange of papers for this new recusal application.
One legal analyst believes that this application will further delay the start of the criminal trial.
“You are going to need the whole of next year 2024 to deal with it so to be on the safe side, maybe on the later part of 2025 that’s when we will see the first witness going into the witness box,” says Mpumelelo Zikalala of Zikalala Attorneys.
The judge did not give an order regarding the commencement of the criminal case.
Fraud Corruption trial of former president Jacob Zuma and Thales has been adjourned to August: 15
