Zuma lodges new application to remove Downer from arms deal corruption trial

Former president Jacob Zuma‘s arms deal corruption trial has been delayed once again.

Arms deal corruption trial

The latest delay comes after Zuma’s lawyers on Monday brought a new application in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg to remove lead state prosecutor, Advocate Billy Downer, from the protracted corruption trial.

Zuma and French arms manufacturer, Thales, are facing multiple counts including fraud‚ corruption, money laundering, and racketeering, in connection with the controversial multibillion-rand arms deal procurement concluded in the late 1990s.

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During Monday’s brief court proceedings, the former president’s lawyer, Advocate Dali Mpofu, said they had lodged a new application for the recusal of Downer after their first application in 2021 was unsuccessful.

Zuma has accused Downer of being biased against him, and allegedly leaking his private medical records to News24 senior legal journalist, Karyn Maughan.

Trial postponement

Presiding Judge Nkosinathi Chili ordered that arguments in Zuma’s second application to recuse Downer be heard from 15 to 16 August 2023.

Zuma and a representative of Thales were excused from attending court proceedings on those dates.

“By agreement, this matter is adjourned to 15 August 2023 for the hearing of Mr Zuma’s second application for the removal of Mr Downer, state council, as a prosecutor in the criminal trial.

“That application is set to run for two days. That is 15 and 16 August 2023,” ruled Judge Chili.

The state is expected to file its answering court papers by no later than 26 May, while Zuma’s legal team is expected to file its reply by 19 June and heads of arguments by 17 July.

The state’s heads of argument are to be filed no later than 31 July.

Judge Chili took over the case in January after Judge Piet Koen recused himself from the trial over the “strong views” he made when he dismissed Zuma‘s first application to get Downer removed from the trial in October 2021.

RELATED: Judge Koen recuses himself from Zuma’s arms deal trial

This also includes the views the judge made about the merits of Zuma’s private prosecution case against Downer and Maughan.

Downer and Maughan have both denied claims that they leaked Zuma’s medical records and have filed applications to have the cases against them reviewed and set aside.

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