Zuma trial: Expectations vs reality
Accepting that a judgment is years away – or that a deal may be offered – is in the interest of the country’s collective state of mind.
South Africans will have to collectively strike a plea bargain with former president Jacob Zuma, believes Dr Llewelyn Curlewis, a senior lecturer in the Department of Procedural Law at the University of Pretoria.
“The arms deal corruption case against Zuma will take years to finalise. Zuma, who is 79, will be 85 or older by the time the judgment, if there is one, is delivered. It will be to the benefit of us all to strike a plea bargain and get peace of mind,” says Curlewis.
He offered this opinion following yet another postponement in the case.
WATCH: Journalist Izak du Plessis chats to law expert Dr Llewelyn Curlewis about the latest developments in former president Jacob Zuma’s fraud and corruption trial.
Last week, Zuma – who is currently serving a sentence of 15 months in the Estcourt Correctional Centre for defying an instruction to give evidence at the state capture inquiry – was admitted to an outside hospital for medical observation.
The Jacob Zuma Foundation tweeted on August 6 that there is ‘no need to be alarmed… yet’.
However, in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday (August 10), Zuma’s defence team submitted a letter from Brigadier General Dr Mcebisi Zukile Mdutywa of the South African Military Health Service, stating that the former president needs an extensive emergency medical procedure, and requesting another postponement.
While Curlewis admits the latest turn of events could be an attempt to unnecessarily drag out the case against Zuma, he says it must be kept in mind that every South African has the right to a fair trial, and to fairly use the legal system during their trial.
“It is not for people outside of the court to decide whether the former president is abusing the system,” says Curlewis.
“Fortunately, High Court Judge Piet Koen demanded a proper medical examination of Zuma, to establish the extent of his illness, so that the court can decide whether his legal team is abusing the system, which is punishable by law.”
According to Curlewis, it is not fair for South Africans to declare Zuma guilty. “The court is the institution that should decide whether he is innocent or not, and he has a right to that principle, like any other South African.”
The case was postponed to September 9 and Zuma’s defence team was ordered to produce a medical report by August 20.
Read original story on krugersdorpnews.co.za
