ANC: NPA appeal ill-considered

2008-09-17 14:47

Johannesburg - The NPA's decision to appeal against the Pietermarizburg High Court ruling on Jacob Zuma was ill-considered, the ANC said on Wednesday.

"The decision suggests that personal pride, rather than reason, is driving the actions of the National Prosecuting Authority," the party said in a statement.

It said it respected the right of the NPA to appeal, but its latest move suggested the NPA had not taken to heart the court's findings about its conduct.

"The decision ... to appeal the ruling of the Pietermarizburg High Court is cynical and ill-considered," the ANC said.

'Relentless pursuit of Jacob Zuma'

"By not accepting the court's ruling, the NPA has lost a valuable opportunity to bring the relentless pursuit of Jacob Zuma to an end."

Pietermaritzburg High Court Judge Chris Nicholson ruled last week that an NPA decision to prosecute the ANC president was invalid.

Zuma faced 16 charges, which included racketeering, corruption and fraud in a case in which French arms company Thint also faced corruption charges for allegedly bribing him for protection during an arms deal probe.

Nicholson said there was some merit in Zuma's contention that there was a political conspiracy tied to rivalry between himself and President Thabo Mbeki.

- SAPA