By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s bid to challenge former President Jacob Zuma’s private prosecution against him will be heard on the 17th and 18th of May 2023.
High Court Judge Roland Sutherland ordered on Wednesday that Ramaphosa submit two affidavits on 6 February and a replying affidavit on 6 March and his final argument on 17 April
The same court granted Ramaphosa’s urgent interdict on Monday. Ramaphosa’s legal team successfully argued that the president should not be dragged into court for what it described as an illegal prosecution.
The judgment means that Ramaphosa will not have to stand in the dock this week as an accused.
Zuma accused prosecutor advocate Billy Downer and News24 journalist Karyn Maughan of allegedly leaking Zuma’s confidential medical information during his arms deal trial.
Both Downer and Maughan have lodged applications to have the private prosecutions declared an abuse of court processes.
Zuma then used that case as a springboard to go after Ramaphosa, who he claims is guilty of criminal wrongdoing because he failed to take action against Downer. He launched private prosecution proceedings against Ramaphosa for being an “accessory after the fact.”