U-Zuma Usebhalele u-Batohi

By: Lindelani Mbatha

Former President Jacob Zuma’s lawyers have written to National Director of Public Prosecutions, Shamila Batohi, asking her to remove state prosecutor advocate Billy Downer from his arms deal corruption trial.

According to reports, Zuma’s lawyers complained to Batohi that Downer has steadfastly failed and refused to step down despite numerous requests and demands for him to do so.

The lawyers accuse Downer of several things including sharing confidential information such as the former president’s medical records.

They also requested Batohi to investigate Zuma’s various complaints against the veteran prosecutor.

These happened to be the documents filed in the Pietermaritzburg High Court, as part of Zuma’s application to have the criminal case postponed on medical grounds.

The former president faces multiple charges of fraud and corruption alongside French arms dealer Thales, over the controversial multi-billion rand arms deal struck back in the 1990s.

Zuma and a representative of Thales pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The former president will be back in court on Monday.