Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 18-03-2018

Former President Jacob Zuma could possibly evade prosecution after reports emerged that his lawyers are expected to apply for his case to be struck off the roll arguing that there was prosecutorial manipulation and misconduct, impropriety and deliberate leaking of information to the media.

The Sunday Time reports that Zuma’s lawyers will argue that the former president had no intention to commit a crime when he and his former financial adviser Schabir Shaik met with French arms manufacturer Thales, and that he was simply following ANC policy to support black business.

It says Zuma’s legal team is preparing to keep him out of jail, including making another attempt to have the case struck off on the basis that he is unlikely to get a fair trial.

Zuma faces 16 charges of corruption, money laundering and racketeering in connection with the arms deal.

The Sunday Times also reports that Shaik, who will testify in the trial, will maintain that the payments he made to Zuma were not corrupt.

Prosecutors believe that they have a watertight case against Zuma on fraud, corruption and money-laundering, but the racketeering charge offers a harder fight.

They believe Zuma will launch a legal fight to separate that charge from the others and have it dismissed by the court.

Meanwhile The DA and EFF have threatened to go to court to stop the taxpayer footing Zuma’s legal bills.

The DA says it wants a tally of how much money the state has spent on Zuma’s fees and for him to pay the money back.

President Cyril Ramaphosa revealed last week that the state had entered into an agreement with Zuma to pay for his legal defence.