Former President Jacob Zuma.
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The Constitutional Court has ruled that former president Jacob Zuma's attempt to appeal a judgment that forced the nullification of private prosecutions against national defender Billy Downer and the author does not involve jurisdiction in his case. The hearing was unanimously rejected.
The Supreme Court's refusal to accept Mr Zuma's appeal application means that his “desperate” private prosecution is a continuation of the Stalingrad strategy of avoiding corruption trials with futile applications, according to the Supreme Court of Appeal ( This means that the SCA's scathing assessment is not being challenged.
Justice Nathan Ponnan, writing on behalf of the full bench of the SCA, said the facts “demonstrate that Mr. Downer's private prosecution is an abuse of the court's process,” because it was “an abuse of process by the government.” “This is because it was initiated as a further step in a sustained effort.” Obstructing, delaying or preventing a criminal trial against Mr Zuma” and “Removing Mr Downer as prosecutor in Mr Zuma’s trial”.
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