President Jacob Zuma’s absence at the presidential inauguration in Pretoria on the 25th has raised some eyebrows. Addressing his supporters outside the High Court in Pietermaritzburg, KZN, at his corruption trial on Friday, Zuma hinted that he might not make it to the event.
He said he was “too busy staying out of jail”. Instead, he sent one of his wives, Bongi Ngema-Zuma, on his behalf. Jacob Zuma was in and out of court last week.
After his court appearance, he told supporters he has run out of money for legal fees. “I have to sell hats and socks to pay for legal fees,” he said.
He detailed his initial agreement with former president Thabo Mbeki for the government to pay his legal fees, which the court judged as unlawful and ruled against it.
He accused his attackers of ganging up on him by not allowing him to have suitable representation.
Late last year, the South Gauteng High Court found that Zuma illegally used taxpayers’ money in his various legal battles and he was ordered to repay the money.
Zuma warned those who wanted his case to go to trial that they will regret it, just like those who called for the state capture inquiry.
Zuma and French arms company Thales are seeking a permanent stay of execution on charges including corruption, fraud and racketeering, linked to the South African government’s late 1990s arms deal.
He is accused of receiving bribes related to a 1999 arms deal.
The charges were raised more than 10 years ago and later withdrawn, then reinstated after a court ruled there were sufficient grounds to bring him to trial.
Zuma declared his case was prejudiced by long delays. The state said his legal manoeuvring caused delays and there were no justifiable reasons to stop his prosecution.
He will know the outcome of his application in three months’ time.
Source: Daily Sun
You Might Also Like – Tweeps React To Jub Jub’s Show #Uyajola99
The debut episode of Jub Jub’s new reality show Uyajola 9/9 finally aired and Mzansi cheating men are not happy about it.
If your relationship has slammed into the rocks and you suspect it has everything to do with cheating, the show exposes that.
Just like any version of Cheaters, Uyajola 9/9, serves to expose infidelity in relationships and the dramatic confrontations take place on TV, for the whole world to see. read more
