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Mbeki 'behind Zuma indictment'
29/12/2007 14:46 - (SA)
Durban - President Thabo Mbeki was a "behind the scenes" player in the National Prosecuting Authority serving an indictment on African National Congress President Jacob Zuma, said ANC Youth League president Fikile Mbalula said on Saturday.
"The decision to charge Zuma is not a decision by the judiciary, it?s a decision by the state and the case is being led by Mbeki," said Mbalula.
He emphasised that the decision was based solely on political interference by Mbeki and former director of public prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka.
He said: "We have consistently said that these trumped-up charges are nothing more than a desperate plot to block Comrade Zuma's ascendancy to the highest office of the land, which is driven by a political vendetta.
"This has been confirmed by the fact that the NPA had ample opportunity to reinstate the charges against Zuma before the Polokwane conference."
'This was well orchestrated'
Mbalula said the NPA instead chose to await the outcome of the conference and then announce their readiness to charge the newly elected ANC president to the media.
He added that NPA acting head Moketedi Mpshe had his leave cut short to charge Zuma before January 07. "This was well orchestrated and well planned... we will not be fooled."
Mbalula said national police commissioner, Jackie Selebi was being protected by Mbeki, but when it came to Zuma, a 48-hour decision was made even though courts were closed for the holidays.
"Criminals are on holiday running around the country committing crimes, but Zuma is charged... why is this? The courts were supposed to be closed."
'This is just a political vendetta'
He questioned who had called for this charge, but said it could not have been done without Mbeki's knowledge.
He stressed the league's support of Zuma and said the sequence of events that led to Zuma's charge was done to vindicate Mbeki's view that Zuma was corrupt.
"Why does Mbeki have to explain a case of corruption to the ANC when he is not a prosecutor. What does Mbeki have to do with a criminal case. This is just a political vendetta.
"We will stand firm behind our president and will make our presence known at every court appearance," he said.
Zuma was alleged to have benefited from private payments made via his financial adviser convicted fraudster, Schabir Shaik, who had been involved in negotiations of a state arms deal.
His lawyer, Michael Hulley on Friday confirmed that Zuma was served with an indictment to stand trial in the High Court on various counts of racketeering, money laundering, corruption and fraud.
- SAPA
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