When Crime Intelligence was looking for software to monitor the #FeesMustFall protests, Major General Mankosana Agnes Makhele signed off on key documents.
Unless the Constitutional Court by Monday, 1 August miraculously dismisses former president Jacob Zuma’s last-gasp attempt to have state prosecutor Billy Downer removed from his Arms Deal graft trial and supports the idea of an immediate acquittal, the proverbial die would have been cast and.
Read the full judgment on Saflii [1] The first accused, Mr Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (Mr Zuma), and the second accused, Thales South Africa (Pty) Ltd (Thales), face various charges, as set out in the indictment.[1] They have both pleaded not guilty to all the charges. In addition, Mr Zuma raised a plea in terms of s 106(1)(h) of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 (the CPA) (‘the special plea’). In the special plea he contends that the lead prosecutor of the prosecuting team representing the State, Mr William John Downer SC (Mr Downer), ‘has no title to prosecute’ as contemplated in s 106(1)(h), and ‘should be removed as the prosecutor in this case.’[2] He further demands that in the event of it being found that Mr Downer lacks title to prosecute, that he (Mr Zuma) be acquitted of all the charges in terms of section 106(4) of the CPA.