Zuma to spill the beans soon

2003-07-30 18:49

Pretoria - Deputy President Jacob Zuma would answer questions by Scorpions detectives on his alleged involvement in arms-deal corruption fully and "very, very soon", Justice Minister Penuell Maduna said on Wednesday.

"I have his own personal assurance that he will answer the questions in the fullest detail," Maduna told reporters in Pretoria.

"I am assured by the deputy president himself that the Scorpions will get the answers very, very soon."

The minister said he wished to dispel the notion that Zuma was unwilling to co-operate with investigators.

He has offered his co-operation in writing "as well as to me, verbally".

"One time, I went to him trembling and said to him: 'It is unavoidable that you will be asked questions', and he said to me: 'Tell whoever wants to ask me questions to come and see me any time'," Maduna said.

"I want to plead that we disabuse our minds of this notion that he has been unwilling to answer questions. That is not true."

President Thabo Mbeki on Tuesday said he had conveyed to Maduna his wish for a speedy conclusion of the probe into Zuma's alleged wrong-doing.

A storm has broken out after a list of 35 questions sent to Zuma by the Scorpions was leaked to a Sunday newspaper.

Scorpions' spokesperson Sipho Ngwema earlier said most of the questions related to Zuma's relationship with his financial adviser Schabir Shaik - himself under investigation regarding the arms deal - and Shaik's company Nkobi Holdings.

The main allegation against Zuma is that he tried to solicit R500 000 from a company which benefited from the arms deal.

In return, he allegedly offered to protect the firm during subsequent investigations.

Maduna described the leaking of the questions as unfortunate, and said he hoped the culprit would be unmasked.

- SAPA