Pietermaritzburg High Court dismisses Zuma appeal application

Judge Piet Koen handed down judgment in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Wednesday. 

The former president's bid seeking the removal of the lead prosecutor in his corruption case was dismissed in October.

Zuma accused Advocate Billy Downer of bias and leaking confidential information to journalists. 

But the State's denied the allegations. 

In a revised version of his 60-page judgment, Koen said the appeal has no real prospect of success. 

"Even assuming and proceeding on the basis that it is accepted for the purposes of this judgment that the dismal of the special plea is appealable at this stage. I am satisfied that the application for leave to appeal should nevertheless be dismissed on the basis that it lacks reasonable prospects of success." 

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Koen said if an appeal against the main judgment was to be entertained at this stage it won't lead to a just and prompt resolution of the real issues between the two parties. 

"The real issue being the guilt or the innocence of Mr Zuma and that it will also not be in the interest justice for the appeal to be heard now. That does not mean that Mr Zuma could not ultimately appeal the dismissal of the special please but only that he cannot do so now. The trial must first be completed."

Koen ordered Zuma's trial to resume. 

"We shall reconvene for the trial to resume at 10 o'clock on the 11th of April 2022."