Jacob Zuma’s court fight with Billy Downer and Karyn Maughan is postponed

Former president Jacob Zuma’s private prosecution of advocate Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan has been adjourned until August 4. The pair made a brief appearance in the Pietermaritzburg high court on Thursday.

Zuma was present, sitting between his lawyers on the front bench.

Advocate Thabani Masuku, for Zuma, told judge Nkosinathi Chili the date had been agreed upon between the parties.

The postponement was due to the fact that both Downer — who is the lead prosecutor in Zuma’s arms deal-related trial — and Maughan have both filed applications to set aside the private prosecutions.

Those are to be argued in March.

Also outstanding is a ruling by judge Sidwell Mngadi on applications by the Helen Suzman Foundation, the Campaign for Free Expression, Media Monitoring Africa Trust and the SA National Editors' Forum, who want to intervene as amicus curiae (friends of the court) in Downer and Maughan’s litigation.

Zuma has charged Downer and Maughan with contravening the NPA Act, relating to allegations that Downer “leaked” Zuma’s medical information, contained in a report to the court, for postponement of his trial.

Both claim there is no substance to the allegations and the prosecutions are an abuse of process.

After the recusal by judge Piet Koen this week from hearing the arms-deal trial, judge Chili will now preside when it continues in April. It is highly unlikely he will hear that trial, Downer and Maughan’s applications or any eventual criminal private prosecution of them.

A source said he had presided on Thursday because it was known in advance it would just be a postponement.

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