Former South African President Zuma to stand trial in major graft case
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – Former President Jacob Zuma is expected to stand trial next week on 18 charges of fraud, corruption, money laundering and racketeering.
This is after the KwaZulu-Natal High Court on Friday turned down his application for a permanent stay of prosecution application. The same application by his co-accused, French arms dealer Thales, was also dismissed.
PANA reports that it marks a huge victory for the National Prosecuting Authority which claimed that Zuma used extensive litigation, a so-called “Stalingrad defence”, to delay being prosecuted on multi-million-dollar fraud and corruption charges relating to South Africa’s arms procurement scandal in the 1990s.
The case involves 783 questionable payments Zuma allegedly received from the company in connection with the deal which saw the South African military purchasing jet fighters, ships and submarines.
A full Bench, comprising judges Thoba Poyo-Dlwati, Bhekisisa Mnguni and Esther Steyn, had heard testimony from both parties in May.
State Attorney Wim Trengrove said Zuma had used a consistent pattern of litigation, designed ultimately to delay prosecution and it was conducted at public expense and costing taxpayers between US$1 million and US$2 million a day.
Zuma's legal team had argued that the case against him was politically motivated and the delays were caused by the National Prosecuting Authority’s decision to initially drop the charges. The charges were reinstated by a High Court order last year.
In 2005, Zuma’s former financial adviser, Schabir Shaik, was found guilty of fraud and corruption for the case and he was imprisoned.
The matter which is set down for trial from 15 October has had a massive impact on South Africa’s post-apartheid political landscape.
-0- PANA CU/MA 11Oct2019
