NPA misses another Zuma spy tapes deadline

The NPA says it ‘deeply regrets’ missing yet another deadline to submit heads of argument in the spy tapes issue. The NPA had agreed to file its heads of argument by last Friday‚ but, according to the DA, ‘missed this deadline for no discernible reason at all’. It was then agreed it would file papers by Monday, but missed this deadline, too, notes Legalbrief. The DA believes the tardiness was aimed at delaying as long as possible its attempt to uncover the truth around the dropping of corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma. However, NPA spokesperson Luvuyo Mfaku is quoted in a News24 report as saying ‘the delay was because its team of counsel required more time to finalise its heads of argument in a matter which has a long and very complicated history, and where the record of proceedings consists of many thousands of pages’. The large number of additional papers the DA had asked for had affected the NPA’s ability to prepare. New issues had been raised by these new papers and by the party in its replying papers.