Prominent defence attorney William Booth said the plethora of applications brought by former President Jacob Zuma before the various courts in his attempt to appeal rulings against him are ‘ridiculous’ and it’s time for the courts to set a precedent against such matters, reports The Citizen.

In his latest court challenge, Zuma has taken the fight to privately prosecute President Cyril Ramaphosa to the SCA.

Booth told 702, that Zuma should just let the private prosecution go.

‘This whole process, if you can call it a process, or saga or circus which ever way you want to discuss these applications brought by former President Zuma is quite ridiculous. I think it’s about time that the court actually state categorically that if lawyers bring such applications on behalf of whoever and there is absolutely no basis, they must be held accountable,’ Booth said.

He said the Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg) has made it clear that the application relating to the private prosecution of Ramaphosa has no basis.

Booth added that the courts must get on with the arms deal case against Zuma.

‘This (private prosecution) in my view is just a delay to get to the inevitable to deal with the trial against him.’

Booth said that if a person does not comply with the basic requirements when it comes to private prosecution, there is no reasonable prospect of success.

‘As lawyers we have a duty to the public, to courts and to the client that you can’t just carry on and on and go to court when there is no basis in law and on the facts. You can’t do that, that’s my view as a lawyer.’

Full report in The Citizen