Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Helen Zille was handed the so-called spy tapes at the North Gauteng High Court on Thursday. The package included a copy of transcripts, recordings and internal memoranda between President Jacob Zuma and the National Prosecuting Authority, relating to a 2009 NPA decision to drop corruption charges against the president. Earlier in the day, the DA leader said she intended to have the tapes forensically investigated. As she walked out of the High Court in Pretoria, Zille held the bag, with the words tamper evident security bag printed on it, containing the material, above her head. She told reporters the bag contained transcripts of recordings and a memory stick. A forensic computing expert will take the bag from me, she said. I have only had this in my possession in the presence [of the expert]. The National Prosecuting Authority handed the material to the court earlier on Thursday, before it was given to the DA. This followed the Supreme Court of Appeal ruling last week that within five days the NPA had to comply with a previous order, in an application brought by the DA, to release the tapes. Zuma had opposed the move. The recordings, internal memoranda, reports and minutes of meetings dealing with the contents of the recordings had to be provided. The tapes, containing recorded phone conversations, allegedly reveal collusion between the former heads of the Directorate of Special Operations, the now defunct Scorpions, Leonard McCarthy, and the NPAs former head Bulelani Ngcuka, to manipulate the prosecutorial process before the ANCs Polokwane conference in 2007. Zuma was elected ANC president at the conference. At the time, acting NPA boss Mokotedi Mpshe said they showed there was a political conspiracy against Zuma and so the case against him could not continue. The charges were dropped shortly before Zuma was sworn in as president in 2009. Zille said her party would use the evidence in its application to have the decision to drop charges against Zuma reviewed. Its a very, very important package I hold in my hands. Its the culmination of six court cases in five years. The EFF was also present outside the North Gauteng High Court. While members of the party said they were not there to support the Democratic Alliance, they supported Zilles quest to have the tapes analysed. President Zuma had opposed the move but released a statement on Thursday welcoming the release. His office said it was happy with the move, so long as it didnt breach the confidentialy between Zuma and the NPA. Conversations on the recordings were cited as a reason to drop fraud and corruption charges against Zuma, shortly before he was sworn in as president in 2009
Posted on: Thu, 04 Sep 2014 14:45:47 +0000
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