BC-LD-ZUMA

Former deputy president Jacob Zuma's indictment ahead of his fraud and corruption trial was served on Friday, his lawyer Michael Hulley said.

"Yes, it has been served," Hulley told Sapa.

Zuma has made one appearance on an initial charge of corruption that emanated from the trial of his former financial adviser Schabir Shaik.

Details of the indictment served against former deputy president Jacob Zuma on Friday would not be made public at present, his lawyer said.

"The contents of the indictment... we are not going to be letting that (be) known at this time. At the earliest, on Monday," Michael Hulley told Sapa.

"It was a lengthy indictment and (also) deals with charges against two French companies *1. At this stage we would like time to deal with it," he said.

The indictment was served in his Durban offices in an informal manner, and Zuma was not present, he said. "It was purely the handing over of an indictment."

An indictment sets out the charges that a person accused of a crime faces in a trial to be held in a High Court.

Zuma has made one appearance on an initial charge of corruption that emanated from the trial of his former financial adviser Schabir Shaik.

Shaik's fraud and corruption conviction, which he is appealing, relates to money given to Zuma, which the court found was a bribe from French arms company Thint in exchange for protection during probes into an arms deal. Shaik denied this, saying the money was a loan.

Thint, is the local name for Thales, previously called Thomson CSF. In terms of a deal with the National Prosecuting Authority, charges were withdrawn against Thint in exchange for testimony relating to an encrypted fax which the State believed contained proof of a bribe.

The Mail and Guardian wrote on Friday that it was not clear whether this agreement carried blanket indemnity for any future cases.

Zuma has repeatedly said he is innocent.

In the aftermath of Shaik's conviction, Zuma was "released" from his post as deputy president by President Thabo Mbeki, sparking a wave of protests and unprecedented support for Zuma, who is still deputy president of the ruling African National Congress.

Zuma will make a brief appearance in court in Durban on Saturday, November 12, after which the indictment will become a public document, National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Makhosini Nkosi said.

*1  This county has just started the process of de-assing itself.