Experts Weigh in on Zuma Trial

By: Lindelani Mbatha

Legal Expert, Mpumelelo Zikalala, says former president Jacob Zuma’s change in legal teams will affect the expected beginning of the Arms deal corruption trial scheduled for next month.

Zuma’s legal team, Mabuza Attorneys has filed its intention to withdraw as his legal representatives with the Pietermaritzburg High Court.

The former president’s latest legal setback comes just a week after the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal and ruled that he is liable for his own legal fees, which amount to approximately R25 million.

Zuma’s corruption trial is related to an arms deal with French company, Thales.

The company allegedly agreed to pay the former president R500 000 per year in exchange for protection from Arms deal investigations.

Zikalala elaborates,

powered by Advanced iFrame. Get the Pro version on CodeCanyon.

Meanwhile, Political Analyst, Bheki Mngomezulu, says Zuma’s change in his legal team is a strategy to buy time.

In other forms of representations, Mabuza has represented Zuma in a legal standoff that arose over his refusal to appear before the Zondo commission of enquiry investigating state capture.

The Judgment is still pending from the Constitutional Court on whether the former president should be jailed for defying its order to testify.

Mngomezulu elaborates,

powered by Advanced iFrame. Get the Pro version on CodeCanyon.