FORMER president Jacob Zuma says he will attend the private prosecution of advocate Billy Downer and News24 journalist Karyn Maughan in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday.
The JGZ Foundation spokesperson, Mzwanele Manyi, confirmed that Zuma will physically attend the court case.
“Zuma, a free man, will be in the Pietermaritzburg High Court tomorrow morning (Monday) for the private prosecution of accused number 1, Downer, and accused number 2, Maughan, who both violated s41(6) of the NPA Act,” Manyi said.
Maughan is alleged to have shared and published Zuma’s confidential medical certificate with the help of Advocate Downer.
Late last month Maughan filed an urgent application in the Pietermaritzburg High Court, asking the court to set aside the private prosecution but did not succeed.
She said the summons was a “gross abuse of court process”, obtained for ulterior purposes of intimidating and harassing her and preventing her from doing her job and reporting on his arms deal trial.
Zuma, in an answering affidavit, said Maughan did not dispute she received documents from Downer containing his medical information.
Downer, lead prosecutor in Zuma’s corruption and fraud trial, has said the private prosecution brought against him was another attempt by the former president to avoid standing trial.
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