Zuma vs Ramaphosa: President seeks to block private prosecution

Ramaphosa and Zuma return to court on Wednesday. The President argues the private prosecution against him is politically motivated and without merit.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will take on his predecessor Jacob Zuma in the Johannesburg High Court on Wednesday, 17 May. The President wants the court to review and set aside Zuma’s private prosecution.

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ZUMA ACCUSES RAMAPHOSA OF BEING AN ACCESSORY TO THE CRIME

In 2022, Zuma launched a private prosecution against NPA prosecutor Billy Downer and News24 journalist Karyn Maughan. He alleges Downer leaked medical information to the journalist.

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Later, Zuma accused Ramaphosa of being an accessory to the crime, after the fact, because he allegedly failed to act on the leak when the former president complained about it to him. Ramaphosa said he referred the complaint to Minister of Justice Ronald Lamola.

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‘FRIVOLOUS AND VEXATIOUS’

In the heads of argument, Ramaphosa said Zuma was playing political games. He also referred to the private prosecution as “frivolous and vexatious”

“The purported criminal prosecution is for an ulterior motive and is frivolous and vexatious. It is an abuse of court process,” argued Ramaphosa.

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