Jiba in contempt over spy tapes - DA
2013-02-06 11:30
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Johannesburg - The DA has called for acting head of
prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba to be held in contempt of court for failing to hand
over the so-called Zuma spy tapes, The Star reported on Wednesday.
Tuesday was the deadline for responses to the Democratic
Alliance's heads of argument that were submitted on 21 January.
The National Prosecuting Authority and President Jacob
Zuma's lawyers failed to submit heads of argument by the close of business on
Tuesday.
In its papers, the DA rejects the argument by Zuma's lawyer
Michael Hulley that submissions made by Zuma are confidential, and says Jiba
will have to prove she is not in contempt of court for failing to hand over the
tapes.
In March last year, the Supreme Court of Appeal gave the NPA
14 days to produce the documents that were before the then prosecutions head
Mokotedi Mpshe. He decided to drop corruption charges against Zuma in 2009,
claiming the case was politically motivated. He based the decision on
recordings of intercepted phone conversations, the so-called spy tapes.
Instead of producing the transcripts in April last year, the
NPA handed them to Hulley.
According to The Star, the DA rejected the NPA's contention
that the documents were covered by a confidentiality undertaking given to Zuma.
The DA said it would be difficult for Jiba to show that her
non-compliance with the SCA ruling was not in bad faith and that she permitted
Zuma's lawyers to dictate to the NPA how long they needed to study the
transcripts, the newspaper reported.
- SAPA
