Pietermaritzburg – uMkhonto Wesizwe party (MK) leader Jacob Zuma has lost his bid to have Advocate Billy Downer removed from prosecuting him in the stop-start corruption matter that has dragged on for over two decades.
Reading the ruling, Judge Nkosinathi Chili said: “The application for the removal of Mr. Downer as the public prosecutor in the criminal prosecution of Mr. Zuma and Thales South Africa is dismissed”.
The corruption matter arose from the controversial multibillion-rand arms deal in the 1990s when Zuma was vice president.
The 81-year-old former president and French arms manufacturer Thales face multiple charges, including fraud‚ corruption, money laundering, and racketeering.
On Wednesday, Judge Chili said he was not persuaded that Advocate Downer’s part in prosecuting Zuma would result in an unfair trial.
Advocate Dali Mpofu, who is representing the former president, said he intended to appeal the ruling.
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