Johannesburg, Jul 18 (PTI): The corruption trial of former South African president Jacob Zuma is about to renew on Monday with a digital listening to, regardless of the nation nonetheless reeling from the results of the week-long spree of looting and arson, triggered by his imprisonment in a separate case.
The native arm of the French defence large Thales, which is a co-accused within the graft case, alleges that Zuma obtained bribe from the agency in an effort to defend it from being probed in a case of irregularities in a USD 2-billion arms deal that was uncovered by a member of the South African Parliament. He’s accused of pocketing 4 million rand (USD 277,000) in bribes from Thales.
Zuma has denied the fees.
Zuma’s attorneys filed a last-minute software on Saturday for postponement of his corruption trial as a result of he desires to testify in particular person about why he needs to be acquitted of corruption with out standing trial.
Zuma is at present serving a 15-month sentence by the nation’s apex court docket for contempt of court docket after he repeatedly refused to testify on the Fee of Inquiry into State Seize, the place a number of witness have implicated him in corruption. He was arrested within the case on July 7.
Analysts’ say this was simply one other try by Zuma to delays the trials he has been going through for over a decade now.
However now it seems that his attorneys will argue for his acquittal by a “particular plea” on Monday, the place they’re anticipated to share his view that he needs to be acquitted of corruption fees as a result of the Nationwide Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is simply too biased to prosecute him.
Within the Fee matter, Zuma had additionally repeatedly unsuccessfully known as for the recusal of the chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, alleging that he was biased in the direction of him.
The NPA had opposed the appliance for the postponement of the corruption trial after Zuma’s lawyer Bethuel Thusini filed it on Saturday, citing that his shopper couldn’t (whereas he’s in jail) be compelled to have his trial carried out on a digital platform and/or in his absence.
“I’m very aware that though there’ll solely be argument, that this stays a felony trial, which ordinarily requires the attendance of the accused,” Pietermaritzburg Excessive Court docket Decide Piet Koen mentioned.
Nonetheless, Koen directed that Zuma’s software for a “particular plea” be argued just about as a result of the present Stage four of a five-level Covid-19 lockdown positioned limitations on journey and enormous gatherings.
The decide has reportedly additionally requested the authorities to make obtainable services at Estcourt Correctional Centre, the place Zuma is being held, to allow the previous president to observe the proceedings just about.
The Workplace of the Chief Justice issued an announcement on Sunday requesting members of the media to observe the court docket proceedings on a YouTube channel, in order to minimise distractions on the digital proceedings. PTI FH SCY SCY
(This story is printed as a part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No enhancing has been completed within the headline or the physique by ABP Stay.)
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