Ex-South African president Jacob Zuma made an appeal to the High Court to halt corruption proceedings against him, on the basis of political interference and pre-trial irregularities reported Africa News.
The 77-year-old politician is facing 16 charges including 12 counts of fraud, two counts of corruption and one count of racketeering and money laundering related to the controversial multi-billion rand arms deal concluded in the late 1990s. The charges relate to alleged bribes paid to him by French arms company Thales, one of the successful contractors in the deal.
Zuma has repeatedly denied allegations of corruption. He appeared at the High Court in Pietermaritzburg in the eastern KwaZulu-Natal province on Monday. His lawyers argued that Zuma has been treated unfairly and with bias from the National Prosecuting Authority (NAP) and the South African public.
They have filed a 300-page application for a permanent stay of prosecution, saying there’s a political conspiracy against him.
The lawyers argue that former head of South Africa’s Directorate of Special Operations (DSO), Leonard McCarthy ‘overzealously’ pursued the investigation of Zuma’s involvement in the arms deal.
Furthermore, Zuma’s lawyers claimed that Bulelani Ngcuka, the former NPA head, tried to mislead the public when he said that he had a prima facie case against Zuma, but he would not prosecute. They say these actions by members of the NPA prove that Zuma is being dealt with unfairly and with bias.
Notably, if the court grants Zuma his permanent stay of prosecution, he will never face the corruption charges. But, the court rejects his application then there could be more delays to the case as the former president can approach the Supreme Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court to appeal the judgment.
Zuma was president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He resigned in February last year vowing to intense pressure from his own party. He was succeeded by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
