The Johannesburg High Court has granted President Cyril Ramaphosa an urgent interdict, halting his prosecution in a case brought by his predecessor, Jacob Zuma.
The President will also no be present in court on Thursday when the bid is heard.
Last week, the court heard arguments from both sides on the matter. In addition, Ramaphosa wants Zuma to pay the costs of the application.
Zuma is accusing Ramaphosa of being an accessory to prosecutor Advocate Billy Downer’s alleged crime in relation to the disclosure of his medical records.
The former President has also accused the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) of being dishonest in relation to the issuing of the nolle prosequi certificates.
In delivering judgement, Judge-President Roland Sutherland said Ramaphosa’s application was found to be urgent by the high court.
“Pending the final determination of part B [of the application] the first respondent [Zuma] is interdicted from taking any further steps to give effect to the nolle prosequi certificate of 21 November 2022 and 6 June 2022, and the summons issued by the registrar on 15 and 21 December 2022, or to pursue the private prosecution under case number 59772 of 2022 against the application in any way,” Judge Sutherland ruled.
Judge Sutherland also ruled that Ramaphosa had successfully made a prima facie case of his right to personal freedom being violated.
Meanwhile, legal expert Mpuelelo Zikalala has taken issue in the manner in which Ramaphosa has responded to Zuma, saying the President should have left it all to the NPA.
“On the part when it comes to the merits, I think he is going to be successful because his defence is clear, it says I’m the President, I’m not the only one who is supposed to chastise misbehaving prosecutors, this is not my prerogative… His only mistake was launching this particular urgent application and only directing it to the former president and not really directing any instructions to the NPA or forcing them to act in a manner that which they can be able to resolve their mistake,” Zikalala told SABC News.
Source: The South African, The Citizen, SABC News, Eyewitness News, image from Twitter: @CapricornFMNews