Cape Town – Former South African president Jacob Zuma has reportedly refused to undergo a medical examination by doctors selected by the prosecuting authority, as he accused the judiciary of not trusting a medical report by military doctors.
Zuma’s foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi told the broadcasting television channel eNCA that Zuma was tired of his health being doubted.
Zuma, who is serving a 15-month sentence for contempt of court, was hospitalised days after his arrest.
“President Zuma is in a situation where he is not trusted when he says he is not well … It’s an overreach. Why would NPA want to second-guess the military hospital? Why would they want to insult the ethics and the professionalism of those doctors? Why are they, by implication, saying this report is dishonest?,” Manyi asked.
Watch the clip below as Manyi speaks
Former president #JacobZuma is refusing to be examined by doctors recommended by the National Prosecuting Authority. He says he is tired of his claims of ill-health being treated with distrust. Jacob Zuma Foundation spokesperson, Mzwanele Manyi, discusses. #TheLead #DStv403 pic.twitter.com/Vz00gLPZA1
— eNCA (@eNCA) August 31, 2021
The Pietermaritzburg High Court judge Piet Koen previously ordered Zuma’s legal team to file a medical report. At the same time, he also gave the state permission to obtain its own medical opinion on whether the former president was fit to stand trial.
The military doctors were responsible for the health of all former presidents and had already filed a confidential report, according to BBC.
Zuma faced 16 charges of fraud, graft and racketeering linked to the 1999 purchase of fighter jets, patrol boats and equipment from five European arms firms when he was deputy president.
He was accused of taking bribes from one of the firms, French defence giant Thales, which has also been charged with corruption. Both have pleaded not guilty.
ALSO READ | Is he fit to stand trial? Jacob Zuma’s lawyers file ‘confidential’ medical report
News24 reported on Wednesday that Zuma could again face a contempt of court charge if he refused to be examined by National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) appointed doctors.
“If Mr Zuma refuses to allow an NPA-appointed doctor to examine him – despite there being a court order that he do so, that his own lawyer agreed to – then he is again in contempt of a court order.
“Now, the last time he acted in contempt of a court order [the Constitutional Court’s ruling that he appear before the state capture inquiry], he was jailed for 15 months. So, he would be well-advised to stop the nonsense, stop the delaying tactics and just have an NPA-appointed doctor examine him,” the report quoted criminal attorney Ulrich Roux as saying
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