PIETERMARITZBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (AFP) – South African ex-president Jacob Zuma was back in court yesterday in a fresh bid to replace the chief prosecutor in his long-running corruption trial over a 1990s arms deal.
High Court judge Piet Koen last year rejected Zuma’s application to have prosecutor Billy Downer dropped from the case.
Zuma argued that the state attorney was neither independent nor impartial.
Returning to court, Zuma is seeking permission to appeal the earlier ruling – a request that could delay resumption of the trial if granted. The case is scheduled to resume on April 11.
Defence lawyer Dali Mpofu said yesterday Zuma was of the “strong view” his case was being “treated differently” from others.
“If we speak of law, let’s speak of the law, let’s not have the Zuma law, let’s not have laws that are uniquely reserved for him,” said Mpofu.
