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Zuma expected to file papers to appeal permanent stay of prosecution ruling

Jacob Zuma
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Former president, Jacob Zuma, is on Friday expected to file papers to appeal the ruling of the High Court in Pietermaritzburg which dismissed his application for a permanent stay of prosecution.

Zuma and French arms company Thales are facing charges of fraud, corruption, money laundering and racketeering.

The charges emanate from the 1999 multi-billion-rand arms deal.

Zuma is accused of soliciting a bribe from Thales in exchange for his political influence in the deal.

Zuma maintains the decision to charge him was nothing but a political conspiracy against him by his opponents.

However, a full bench of judges who heard the original application felt that the seriousness of the charges outweighs any prejudice Zuma claims he will suffer if the trial goes ahead.

The court further dismissed Zuma’s argument that it’s the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) that caused the delays to bring the matter to trial.

This  according to Zuma included a decision by the then NPA Head, advocate Mokotedi Mpshe , to drop charges against him in 2009.

The judges felt that both Zuma and the NPA were complicit in the delays of about 14 years.

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