Former South African President Jacob Zuma is consulting with his lawyers to determine his next steps after the Presidency and the State Attorney approached the Pretoria High Court to recover nearly R29 million spent by the state for his defense in the arms deal corruption case.
This move follows a 2018 court order for the State Attorney to recoup the funds, as it was found that the state was not liable for Zuma’s legal costs incurred in his personal capacity.\
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Zuma attempted to appeal this decision, but his application was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2021.
According to the court papers filed by State Attorney Isaac Chowe, the total amount owed is R28,960,774.
This sum represents the expenses incurred between September 2005 and January 2019 for legal and associated services provided to Zuma in his personal capacity during the criminal and related civil proceedings.
Mzwanele Manyi, spokesperson for the Jacob Zuma Foundation, stated that Zuma is currently considering his options.
He noted that Zuma has 30 days to respond to the motion filed by the State Attorney, and during this time, he will consult with his legal team to make an informed decision.
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Meanwhile, the arms deal case is currently on hold pending the outcome of Zuma’s application to have State advocate Billy Downer removed from the prosecution team.
The legal proceedings surrounding the arms deal corruption case have garnered significant attention in South Africa, and the outcome of Zuma’s next steps will undoubtedly have implications for the future of the case.
