Zuma's appeal application dismissed

© mikewaters – 123RF.com

Zuma wanted the court to grant him leave to appeal the verdict delivered by Judges Jerome Mnguni, Esther Steyn and Thoba Poyo-Dlwati, which dismissed his application for a permanent stay of prosecution and of his co-accused, Thales, the French arms company.

The former president faces charges of corruption, money laundering and racketeering linked to the multi-billion rand arms deal.

Zuma and Thales are to stand trial for charges which relate to the 1990s arms deal. In January 1994, Zuma was nominated as the ANC candidate for the Premiership of KwaZulu-Natal. He was subsequently appointed as Member of the Executive Committee (MEC) of Economic Affairs and Tourism for the KZN provincial government.

Zuma was elected National Chairperson of the ANC and chairperson of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal in December 1994. He was re-elected to the latter position in 1996. A year later, in December 1997, he was elected Deputy President of the ANC.

In June 1999, Zuma was appointed Executive Deputy President of South Africa, a position he held until June 2005.

His former financial adviser Schabir Shaik, who allegedly facilitated Thales' payments, was in 2005 found guilty of fraud and corruption and was sentenced to 15 years behind bars.

In October, the high court dismissed with costs an appeal by the former President and his co-accused for a permanent stay of prosecution.

According to the judgment, Zuma and his co-accused failed to prove to the court that there were no reasonable and probable grounds for his successful prosecution.

The trial of former President Jacob Zuma was postponed to 4 February 2020.