Skip to content

Zuma Trial Ends Over Technicality

South Africa’s High Court abruptly ened the corruption trial of Jacob Zuma due to a technicality Friday, leaving the ANC leader free to run for president of the country next year.

Judge Chris Nicholson ruled that the 16 charges of fraud, corruption and racketeering, including Zuma’s allegedly receiving bribes totaling $500,000 from arms dealers, were invalid because the National Prosecuting Authority should have consulted Zuma before it pressed corruption charges against him in 2007. Judge Nicholson did not pass a guilty or innocent verdict on Zuma and said prosecutors are able to bring the charges up again.

Judge Nicholson also heavily criticized the outgoing Mbeki Administration, saying it abused public institutions to launch vendettas against critics. A brutal political campaign last year saw Mbeki lose to Zuma as head of the ANC. With Mbeki’s second and final term ending next year, it is very likely that Zuma will take presidency as well. The ANC achieved a majority of nearly 70% in the last general election in 2004, and hoped to increase its lead even further in next year’s election.

Friday’s sudden end marks the second time a corruption trial against Zuma has ended due to procedural technicalities.

Jacob Zuma continues to be roiled in controversy. While immensely popular, the 66-year old Zuma is viewed by many as racist, sexist, and homophobic. Zuma is known for singing an old ANC battle song, “Get Me My Machine Gun”, which is interpreted by many as a call for racial genocide of whites. Zuma said the way a woman dressed and sat meant she was looking for sex and that he should oblige. Zuma has also said that he thought showering after unprotected sex with an HIV positive partner would help prevent infection. Zuma is also under fire from his own camp for flip-flopping on economic policy.

Addressing an audience of 5,000 ANC supporters at the Pretoria Showgrounds Sunday, Zuma called on members to set aside their differences until after the election. “During the election period you can’t say ‘see how down I am, please vote for me’”, he said. “You have to be positive and look good.”


More from TRP

TRP Recommends

Blog Margeting Related Posts Plugin For therightperspectiveAsk therightperspective To Recommend Your Posts Blog Marketing Related Posts Plugin Counter

Related posts:

  1. Prosecutors Battle On Against Zuma
  2. South African Gun Amnesty Ends
  3. Zuma Rape Acquittal Judge Gets Top Job
  4. Zuma Must Face Corruption Charges
  5. Zuma Eyes Wife No. 6

Posted in Hello, Africa!.

Tagged with , , , , , .

5 comments

By NewsGuy – September 15, 2008

5 Responses

Stay in touch with the conversation, subscribe to the RSS feed for comments on this post.

Continuing the Discussion

  1. Mbeki Fights The Judicial Power | The Right Perspective linked to this post on September 23, 2008

    [...] charges, made by High Court judge Chris Nicholson, were key in his throwing out a massive corruption case against Zuma last week, and forced the ANC to ask Mbeki to leave his office now, a year before his term was [...]

  2. ANC Scrambles To Counteract Break Away Party | The Right Perspective linked to this post on October 8, 2008

    [...] why Mbeki was forced from power early. The real reason, according to ANC spokesmen, was not due to the severe drubbing High Court judge Nichols gave Mbeki while tossing a corruption trial against Zum…. Suddenly, Mbeki was fired for trying to run for a third term as ANC President. While running for [...]

  3. Thousands Attend ANC-Breakaway Convention | The Right Perspective linked to this post on November 8, 2008

    [...] breakaway party started after the ANC forcibly removed president Thabo Mbeki from power during an exhausting power play between he and ANC leader Jacob Zuma. Thousands at the weekend convention sang songs in praise of [...]

  4. Zuma Must Face Corruption Charges | The Right Perspective linked to this post on January 16, 2009

    [...] case involving 16 charges of corruption, fraud and racketeering ended abruptly last September with High Court judge Chris Nicholson dramatically throwing the case out and reprimanding [...]

  5. ANC Wins South African Elections | The Right Perspective linked to this post on April 25, 2009

    [...] was dramatically formed last year after then-president Thabo Mbeki was disposed from power over the derailed corruption trial of presdient-elect Jacob Zuma. After much fanfare and concern that political rivalries might spill [...]

You must be logged in to post a comment.

« »