ZUMA’S ESCAPE PLAN FAILS! – Court says arms deal trial must go on

Jacob Zuma

Cape Town – The Pietermaritzburg High Court has dismissed applications by former president Jacob Zuma and French arms company Thales to have their corruption and racketeering charges dropped.

Thales argued that the deaths of its South African directors, Pierre Moynot and Alain Thetard, made it impossible to challenge the state’s evidence.

However, Judge Nkosinathi Chili ruled that their absence would not cause irreparable prejudice or compromise Zuma’s right to a fair trial, SABC News reported.

As a result, both applications were denied, and the prosecution will proceed.

According to The Citizen, Chilli said that the court lacks the jurisdiction to dismiss the charges.

“On the facts presented to this court, I am not persuaded that it was sufficiently established that Thales will suffer irredeemable, irreparable, or insurmountable prejudice if the State were to allow to continue with the prosecution in the face of the deaths of Messrs Thetard and Moynot,” the report quoted him as saying.

He added: “I am not convinced that Mr Zuma’s right to a fair trial will be prejudiced by the non-availability of Messrs. Thétard and Moynot. There is no justification for the ground of the order sought by Mr Zuma in the alternative in accordance with Section 172 (1) (b) of the Constitution

“I therefore make the following order, the application by both Mr Zuma and Thales is dismissed.”

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