A South African court has allowed former president Jacob Zuma to appear in person in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday for his plea hearing, reported Africa News.
On Wednesday, Judge Piet Koen issued a directive in which he said that the hearing, which has been scheduled for August 10, will proceed in an open court. The directive also stated that the hearing will be conducted with Covid-19 safety protocols, including the wearing of masks.
The case was previously set to be heard virtually, but Zuma’s lawyers argued that a virtual hearing would violate their client’s right to a fair trial.
The 79-year-old began a 15-month jail term last month for flouting the Constitutional Court’s order that he should testify at the inquiry commission probing allegations of corruption during his presidential term from 2009 to 2018.
Zuma’s imprisonment sparked protests across the country that turned into violent riots in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces. The death toll in the unrest rose to 337.
The former president faces 16 charges of fraud, graft, and racketeering related to the 1999 purchase of fighter jets, patrol boats, and equipment from five European arms firms when he was deputy president.
He is accused of taking bribes from Thales, a French defence company which also has been charged with corruption and money laundering.
Zuma’s Foundation welcomed the judge’s decision to have the case heard in an open court.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to testify against Zuma in the ongoing case against state capture. He will testify before the commission as the country’s former Deputy President and also as the leader of the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
This will be the second time that Ramaphosa will appear before the inquiry commission. He first appeared before the commission in April this year.
