South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma arrived at the Pietermaritzburg High Court today for his 3rd appearance on corruption charges relating to a $2.5 Billion arms deal in the late 1990’s.
Zuma, faces 16 charges of fraud, racketeering and money laundering relating to a deal to buy European military hardware to upgrade South Africa’s armed forces after the end of apartheid in 1994.
Dozens of his supporters held an overnight vigil in the city and marched through the city of Pietermaritzburg chanting support for the embattled Zuma. Some supporters claim that Zuma is a victim of a politically motivated witch-hunt.
The trial has provisionally been postponed to November-thirtieth; the high court also gave a November-sixteenth deadline for his lawyers to file papers for his application for a permanent stay of prosecution.
