Billy Downer

William John Downer is a retired South African prosecutor, known for his prosecution of high profile government corruption cases.

Background

Downer attended Pretoria Boys High School in South Africa. In 1979, he graduated in law from Stellenbosch University and was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Brasenose College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom, where he obtained the Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) degree. He thereafter, joined the South African Department of Justice, the forerunner to the National Prosecuting Authority. In 2021, he retired in Cape Town, South Africa.[1][2]

Jacob Zuma prosecution

Downer focused on prosecuting corruption and other high-profile commercial crimes cases. Despite his retirement in 2021, he is still seized with the prosecution of the former President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma on charges of racketeering, money laundering, fraud and corruption. The allegations against the former President relate to a government arms procurement deal, dating back to 1999.[3] In 2005, Downer secured the conviction of the financial advisor of Jacob Zuma, Schabir Shaik, also in relation to the arms deal.[4] Downer's investigations in that matter led to the discovery of a handwritten encrypted fax, in French, promising an amount of R500,000 per annum to 'JZ' until payment of the African Defence Systems dividends,[5] which was key to securing the conviction of Shaik on two counts of corruption and one count of fraud. The prosecution of Zuma himself has, however, been mired for years, with Zuma having been accused of using Stalingrad tactics to evade his day in court.[6][7] Zuma is now set to go on trial in May 2022.[8]

Zuma has objected to Downer’s ongoing involvement in his case and claimed that the retired prosecutor had acted unprofessionally and unlawfully by leaking information to journalists about his case. On 26 October 2021, a bid to remove Downer from the South African arms deal case, which includes former South African President was dismissed by KwaZulu-Natal High Court Judge Piet Koen.[9][10]

References
  1. "Friday Briefing | Waiting in the wings: Billy Downer's long wait is finally over". News24. 18 October 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  2. Basson, Adriaan. "The man who won't go down". The M&G Online. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  3. Rabkin, Franny. "Zuma will get his day in court in 2020 — maybe". The M&G Online. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  4. Sapa-AFP, Matthew Burbidge. "Shaik guilty". The M&G Online. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  5. "Shaik: French fax surfaces". News24. 19 October 2004. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  6. "Zuma's Stalingrad tactic has backfired, and it'll cost him more than money". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  7. Town, Bill Corcoran in Cape. "Zuma employing 'Stalingrad defence' as legal stalling strategy". The Irish Times. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  8. "Zuma trial postponed to 2020". eNCA. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  9. Maughan, Karyn (27 October 2021). "How Judge Piet Koen's ruling puts Jacob Zuma in a very tight corner". News24. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  10. "Zuma loses plea to remove prosecutor, corruption trial to start in April". Africanews. 26 October 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
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