Publication: The Star Issued: Date: 2005-11-10 Reporter: Nalisha Kalideen Reporter: Jeremy Gordin Reporter:

Zuma Plea Bargain Seen As Out Of The Question

 

Publication 

The Star
Date 2005-11-10

Reporter

 Jeremy Gordin, Nalisha Kalideen

Web Link

www.thestar.co.za

 

Any admission of guilt would likely wreck bid for presidency

Talk of a plea bargain between Jacob Zuma and the state in his pending corruption trial seem unfounded, but the former deputy president's fiery response to such talk certainly has been revealing.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi yesterday moved to damp speculation that a plea and sentence agreement could be in the offing.

"The issue has not arisen. Neither the NPA nor Mr Zuma and his legal representatives have made any offers of a possible plea bargain."

Nkosi added that if the NPA received a request regarding a possible plea bargain, it would be considered on its merits.

This statement was issued after Zuma's attorney, Michael Hulley, commented that the first time he heard of such a possibility was through the media yesterday.

"That means entering a plea of guilty, and my client won't plead guilty," Hulley said.

Another senior lawman from Zuma's team said: "All I can tell you is that Jacob Zuma wants to fight this one hard. He really wants his day in court, and has told us not to pull any punches at all. He is adamant that he is innocent."

The flames of speculation over the possibility of a plea bargain were fanned after Nkosi was quoted in media reports as saying: "We cannot rule out the possibility."

This had been interpreted by some observers as a signal from the NPA that it was prepared to offer Zuma a "non-custodial sentence" if he were prepared to plead guilty.

With acknowledgements to Jeremy Gordin, Nalisha Kalideen and The Star.