Former president Jacob Zuma has asked for his fraud and corruption trial — scheduled for court on Monday — to be postponed for a week.
Former president Jacob Zuma has asked for his fraud and corruption trial — scheduled for court on Monday — to be postponed for a week.
Zuma was set to make a “special plea” to be acquitted without trial. His lawyers say he wants to testify orally as part of this plea. In an application to the Pietermaritzburg high court, Zuma’s lawyers cite “violent disruptions” preventing them meeting with him as a key reason for asking for the postponement.“In terms of the applicable legal framework, the first accused cannot, in the present circumstances, be compelled to have his trial conducted on a virtual platform and or in his absence,” his lawyer, Bethuel Mondli Thusini, says in an affidavit.
Zuma was imprisoned in the early hours of Thursday, July 7, after a conviction on contempt charges. This triggered waves of violent unrest, later described by the government as a “failed insurrection”. In the court papers, dated, July 17, Thusini says: “Following Mr Zuma's arrest and incarceration on Thursday, July 7 2021, we have had no access to consult with him until Thursday, July 15 2021. A wave of violent disruptions took place between Friday, July 8 2021.”
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES | Biden says Facebook, others 'killing people' by carrying Covid-19 misinformationCoronavirus live updates
Read more »
Zuma cites violence and Covid-19 gatherings as reason for wanting corruption trial postponedFormer president Jacob Zuma has asked for his fraud and corruption trial — scheduled for court on Monday — to be postponed for a week.
Read more »
Nigerian Olympics delegate is first to be hospitalised with Covid-19A Nigerian delegate to the Olympics becomes the first visitor to the Tokyo Games admitted to hospital with Covid-19, broadcaster TV Asahi said.
Read more »
Gauteng showing signs of emerging from third wave of Covid-19, says profGauteng has showed a decline in Covid-19 cases and might be slowly getting over the peak of the third wave, Prof Salim Abdool Karim said on Friday.
Read more »
KZN suffers setbacks with Covid-19 testing and vaccinationsKwaZulu-Natal’s Covid-19 vaccination rollout and testing has faced a setback after looting and rioting incidents occurred this week.
Read more »
Eastern Cape advocate Terry Price succumbs to Covid-19Advocate Terry Price, who was in his early 60s, died on Thursday after a lengthy battle with Covid-19.
Read more »