Spy Tapes: DA to request Court to invalidate decision to drop charges against Zuma
29 February 2016
Note to editors: The following remarks were made during a press conference by the Chairperson of the DA’s Federal Executive, James Selfe MP, the DA Shadow Minister of Justice, Adv Glynnis Breytenbach MP, and DA National Spokesperson, Phumzile Van Damme MP, ahead of arguments to be made before the North Gauteng High Court regarding the charges against President Jacob Zuma in the Spy tapes saga.
Tomorrow, 01 March 2016, the DA’s review application will be heard to have the decision to drop the 783 charges of fraud, corruption and racketeering against President Jacob Zuma set aside before the North Gauteng High Court's full bench. We contend that the dropping of these charges by the then acting National Director of Public Prosecutions, Adv Mokotedi Mpshe, was born out of irrational political considerations not based in law or due process. This remains in an effort to keep President Zuma out of court and answering for the charges for which he should stand accused.
Consequently, the DA in its heads of argument is appealing to the North Gauteng High Court full bench to have the decision to drop the charges declared invalid, irrational and set aside on that basis which could lead to the reinstatement of the charges against President Zuma.
President Zuma has gone to great lengths in order to evade justice, it took more than five years and six court appearances for the “Spy Tapes” and the “Record of Decision” eventually to be released to us in September 2014.