Hawks investigating claim Zuma ‘begged’ witness to keep quiet – report

The Sunday Times has reported that the Hawks are looking into allegations that Jacob Zuma, while he was president, once “begged” Pretoria lawyer Ajay Sooklal to withhold evidence from the Seriti Arms Procurement Commission.

That commission ultimately found no evidence of wrongdoing by any state official related to the arms deal, which critics slammed as an official cover-up.

The paper has reported that Zuma’s one-time confidant Sooklal has claimed in a second affidavit that Zuma allegedly attempted to silence him on how arms company Thales allegedly “bankrolled” Zuma.

Former president Jacob Zuma at the Durban high court where he is facing charges of corruption. Zuma appeared alongside Christine Guerrier vice-president of litigation at Thales France. Picture: Gallo Images

Sooklal claims to know how Thales allegedly “wined and dined” Zuma, who is facing reinstated corruption, fraud and money laundering charges related to 783 questionable payments he received and which were allegedly facilitated through his corruption-convicted one-time financial adviser Schabir Shaik.

Sooklal’s affidavit, filed in the High Court in Pretoria last year, spoke of hundreds of thousands in cash allegedly paid to Zuma, along with five-star hotel accommodation and designer clothes.

The paper reported that the Hawks met with Sooklal this week to confirm his version of events, which he first revealed in an explosive affidavit against Zuma last year. At the meeting, Sooklal reportedly told investigators that Zuma had summoned him to the presidential house in Pretoria in 2012 and asked him not to testify at the Seriti commission. He apparently alleged Zuma had begged him not to divulge any details of payments from Thales “over the years up to 2009”.

Sooklal, a Thales consultant from 2003, has alleged that, in addition to the money and other gifts to Zuma, Thales “donated” €1 million (R15.6 million at the current exchange rate) to the ANC.

Thales was awarded a R2.6 billion naval contract in 1997. It was alleged that Zuma was paid by the French company to promote it and also provide political cover for it in the wake of the highly controversial R60 billion military procurement tender.