Ex-South African president Jacob Zuma faces corruption charges

South Africa's national prosecuting authority has announced that a range of corruption charges will be reinstated against former president Jacob Zuma – nine years after they were controversially withdrawn.

Mr Zuma, who was forced to resign as South Africa’s president in February by the ruling African National Congress party, will face 16 charges relating to 783 questionable payments he allegedly received in connection with a €2 billion government arms deal in 1999.

Addressing the media on Friday, director of public prosecutions Shaun Abrahams confirmed that he had dismissed representations made by Mr Zuma (75) on why the charges should be dropped.

He added that a trial court was the appropriate place for the matter to be decided, and that he was of the view “that there are reasonable prospects of a successful prosecution of Mr Zuma”. The charges Mr Zuma will face relate to fraud, corruption, racketeering and money-laundering.

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In 2009, the acting national director of public prosecutions, Mokotedi Mpshe, dropped the charges based on the content of recorded telephone calls between prosecutors and police produced by Mr Zuma’s lawyers. He said they showed “political meddling” in the case.

Mr Mpshe made his decision just days before Mr Zuma was sworn in as South Africa’s president for his first term in office.

Controversial relationship

The charges had originally stemmed from an allegedly corrupt business relationship that Mr Zuma had with Durban businessman, Shabir Shaik.

In 2005, Shaik was found guilty of soliciting bribes from French arms company Thales for Mr Zuma’s benefit and sentenced to 15 years in prison, but he was released early on medical grounds.

Mr Zuma and other officials were accused of taking kickbacks in the late 1990s from companies seeking to sell the government fighter jets, navy ships and other weapons.

He has always maintained his innocence, but his lawyers have opposed the Democratic Alliance (DA) party’s legal efforts to have the charges reinstated at every legal juncture.

However, last year the supreme court of appeal in Pretoria declared that the decision to set aside the corruption charges was irrational, and ordered Mr Abrahams, who was appointed by Mr Zuma, to reinstate them.

Following the announcement, DA leader Mmusi Maimane welcomed the decision and insisted there should be no further delay in starting the trial.

‘Day in court’

“The witnesses are ready, the evidence is strong, and Jacob Zuma must finally have his day in court,” he said. “We will brief our legal teams immediately to oppose any effort by Zuma to delay this further, including his application for a stay of prosecution.”

The national prosecuting authority has also confirmed that the local affiliate of Thales will be prosecuted for corruption and fraud alongside Mr Zuma for its role in the arms deal saga.

Mr Zuma’s recent fall from power was partly due to the growing perception that he had been enabling members of the controversial Gupta business family and their associates to illegal acquire state contracts.

Mr Zuma and the Guptas have denied any wrongdoing.