Jacob Zuma's arms deal corruption case back in court

JOHANNESBURG - Former President Jacob Zuma’s arms deal corruption case returns to the High Court in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday.

The allegations at the heart of the case centre on a dodgy multi-billion rand deal government struck with French arms trader, Thales, in the 1990s.

Zuma and Thales were first charged in 2005 but the case was later struck from the roll after a series of delays. In 2007, it was reinstated but then in 2009, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) withdrew the charges. 

In 2017, however, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) overturned that decision and in 2018, the case was again reinstated.

The trial officially got underway in May 2021, when the charges were put to the accused and they pleaded not guilty.

However, Zuma then immediately raised a special plea challenging State advocate Billy Downer’s title to prosecute, which was subsequently dismissed but marked the first of what would end up being a string of delays that have had the effect of holding up the leading of evidence since then.

The court has now finally put the matter on the roll next April for the resumption of the trial.

In the meantime, though, a pre-trial hearing is set to take place on Thursday to iron out any outstanding issues.