Former South African President Jacob Zuma claims he has filed a private lawsuit against Cyril Ramaphosa, his replacement.
The Jacob Zuma Foundation made the revelation on Thursday night, claiming that President Ramaphosa had been charged with “major offenses” in a Johannesburg court.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa has been charged in a private prosecution with the criminal offence of being accessory after the fact in the crimes committed by among others Advocate Downer namely, breaching the provisions of the [National Prosecuting Authority] NPA Act,” the foundation said in a statement.
It added that the crimes carry the sentence of 15 years imprisonment. In a response on Twitter on Friday, President Ramaphosa said he “rejects with the utmost contempt Zuma’s abuse of legal processes and perversion of the private prosecution provision”.
The Presidency tweeted; “President Cyril Ramaphosa rejects with the utmost contempt Mr. Jacob Zuma’s abuse of legal processes and perversion of the ‘nolle prosequi’ (private prosecution) provision.
“In accordance with the Criminal Procedure Act, a private prosecution can only be instituted after the individual prosecuting has obtained a certificate of non-prosecution.
“The certificate serves as a legal confirmation that the National Prosecuting Authority (“NPA”) will not proceed with the prosecution following its consideration of the charges.”
He termed the charges as “completely spurious and unfounded”. Ramaphosa survived a parliamentary vote on whether he should face an impeachment inquiry, even though a handful of ruling party MPs rebelled against the African National Congress in the ballot.
On Tuesday, the 400-member National Assembly handily rejected a move to approve the contentious Phala Phala report and begin a thorough inquiry into its allegations against Ramaphosa. The result was 214 to 148, with two abstentions.
The African Transformation Party’s resolution needs to be approved by 201 MPs in order for parliament to do so.