Zuma’s legal team considering to challenge NPA’s decision

Jacob Zuma’s legal team is considering challenging the decision by NPA head Shaun Abrahams to reinstate charges against the former president.

Abrahams announced yesterday afternoon that Zuma will be prosecuted on 16 charges of corruption, money laundering and racketeering in connection with the controversial multi-million-rand arms deal scandal in the late 1990s.

TimesLive reports that Zuma’s lawyer Michael Hulley said in a brief statement that the decision whether to take on review or not the reinstated charges would be made after “careful consideration and consultation with Mr Zuma.”

Hulley’s statement is quoted as saying: “We are giving consideration to the one-page and somewhat terse response received from the National Director of Public Prosecutions wherein he has advised that the representations made on behalf of Mr Jacob Zuma are unsuccessful.

“The rationale for this decision is not clearly apparent from the communication‚ nor is the basis for the refusal. In the circumstances‚ the likely course of action would be to take the decision of the NDPP on review.”

During his announcement yesterday, Abrahams said: ““A trial court must decide and ventilate on this matter. There are various prospects of a successful prosecution on this matter. Mr Zuma’s representations are unsuccessful.”

Abraham’s announcement came after he had received recommendations from a team of NPA prosecutors following Zuma’s submission of fresh representations to Abrahams in January on why he, Zuma, should not be indicted on the criminal charges.

In September last year, Zuma’s legal team and the NPA conceded before the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein that the decision to drop the charges in 2009 was irrational.

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