Zuma 'urged to marry accuser'

2006-04-03 16:16

Johannesburg - Jacob Zuma was urged to start lobola negotiations and to marry his rape accuser by two women, referred to by her as "aunts", he has told Johannesburg High Court.

The former deputy president also told the court on Monday that a lawyer told him not to say in a statement to police that he had sex with the woman who accused him of rape.

Zuma testified that his lawyer, Michael Hulley, had told him to write, instead, in the statement "after we shared each other's company privately".

Zuma gave the written statement to two policemen after they read him his rights at his Nkandla home in KwaZulu-Natal.

In the statement, he denied raping the 31-year-old HIV-positive complainant.

Zuma denied pointing out the guest room as the alleged scene of the crime when police asked him to do so.

"That is not true," he said.

Zuma also told the court that during a meeting with two women, referred to be his accuser as aunts, they had asked him if he was willing to start lobola negotiations.

Zuma said they told him that it looked like a "love relationship".

Lobola issue discussed

They said: "You'd better marry her", and asked if it would not be better if lobola negotiations be started.

"The very lobola issue was discussed at length."

They asked him what was on his mind.

"Well, I said to them, 'Well, if that is your wish, I have no problem with starting lobola negotiations'."

Earlier, Zuma told the court in detail how he and the woman had sex in his Johannesburg home.

He will continue his testimony on Tuesday.

- SAPA