Criminal Intent in Medical Note Leak, South Africa's Zuma Claims

The "leaking" by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) of a confidential medical note to a journalist, written by Jacob Zuma's senior team doctor, was "one of the most concerning issues" for the former president, the Pietermaritzburg High Court has heard. Zuma's lawyers claim the release of a medical note from his doctors is an example of prosecutors' lack of impartiality and grounds for his ultimate acquittal, Des Erasmus for Daily Maverick.

The NPA, however, says the note was a public document. Zuma is seeking to have the state's senior prosecutor, advocate Billy Downer, removed from his arms deal corruption trial  (which is technically yet to begin while the special plea continues). Should he be successful, he will be entitled to an immediate acquittal. Zuma was granted medical parole in early September 2021, having served just two months of a 15-month sentence after being found in contempt by the Constitutional Court.

Opposition party, the Democratic Alliance and civil society groups are are challenging the medical parole decision in court. The decision to release Zuma was taken by Correctional Services commissioner Arthur Fraser, who overruled the Parole Board's decision that medical parole was not warranted.

Zuma was imprisoned on July 7, 2021 for refusing to obey a court order to appear before a commission of inquiry into the government and private sector corruption which flourished during his presidency. His imprisonment triggered widespread violence in two of the country's provinces.