-
Former South African President Jacob Zuma appears at the High Court in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, January 31, 2022.
The Pietermaritzburg High Court in KwaZulu-Natal has dismissed the applications of former President Jacob Zuma and French arms company Thales to have all charges against them dropped.
Thales had argued that the death of its directors in South Africa, Pierre Moynot and Alain Thetard, made it impossible for them to challenge the state’s evidence.
Zuma and Thales are facing charges that include corruption and racketeering in connection with the multi-billion-rand arms deal in 1999.
Judge Nkosinathi Chili said a court should decide the impact of the unavailability of Moynot and Thetard as witnesses on the fairness of the trial
“On facts presented to the court, I am not persuaded that it was sufficiently established that Thales will suffer irredeemable, irreparable or insurmountable prejudice if the state were allowed to continue with the prosecution in the face of the deaths of Thetard and Moynot. I’m not persuaded either that Mr Zuma’s right to a fair trial will be prejudiced by the non-availability of Thetard and Moynot. There is no justification for the grant of the order sought by Mr Zuma in the alternative, in accordance with section 172-1B of the Constitution. I therefore make the following order: the application by both Mr Zuma and Thales is dismissed.”
LIVESTREAM | Today’s court proceedings:
