The Pietermaritzburg High Court is set to deliberate on former president Jacob Zuma's application for leave to appeal a recent ruling that invalidated his private prosecution of state prosecutor Advocate Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan.
The Pietermaritzburg High Court is set to deliberate on former president Jacob Zuma’s application forthat invalidated his private prosecution of state prosecutor Advocate Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan.
In July, a full bench, led by Judge Gregory Kruger, delivered a verdict that deemed the private prosecution an abuse of the court process. Zuma’s charges against Downer, who is the lead prosecutor in his corruption trial, and Maughan were at the center of the contentious legal battle. In its ruling, the court reinforced the necessity of a nolle prosequi certificate for initiating a private prosecution, a requirement that was not met in Maughan’s case. Moreover, it affirmed previous findings that the doctor’s note in question became a public document once it was filed.