State says Zuma's recusal plea based on conspiracy theories

Advocate Wim Trengove says the former president has no case.

"There are no material disputes or facts. Mr Zuma realises he hasn't made a case on the papers at all. He's not asking for an opportunity to abuse any other evidence.

"He realises that his conspiracy theories do not stand up against the credible first-hand refutation of those conspiracy theories." 

Zuma said Advocate Billy Downer is unfit to prosecute the case, where he and French arms company, Thales are facing fraud and money-laundering charges.

The Pietermaritzburg High Court began hearing the application on Tuesday, with Zuma's lawyers saying Downer and other prosecutors shared confidential information about the case with journalists.

The State's Advocate Trengrove has denied this and wrapped up his argument on Wednesday.

"Mr Zuma acknowledges by implication that the case does not hinge on any particular dispute of fact. He is not asking for any dispute of fact to be referred to oral evidence.

"He is asking for the whole case to start again and he is asking for it not only to start again but to be determined by a procedure entirely foreign to our law of a judicially initiated inquiry to determine whether a special defence for which no prima facie is being made can, in fact, be established. 

"We submit with respect that that is quite inappropriate and that there is no justification for it."

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