|
Judge Postpones Zuma's Graft Hearing |
| Publication |
Cape Times |
| Date | 2009-02-04 |
| Reporter | Paul Sima |
| Web Link | www.capetimes.co.za |
A South African judge on Wednesday postponed a hearing on ruling ANC leader
Jacob Zuma's corruption case to August 25, several months after he is expected
to become the country's next president.
Zuma is the African National Congress' candidate for president in an election
expected in April.
"The criminal case is adjourned to a provisional date of 25 August, 2009," Judge
Leona Theron said, adding that she would also hear Zuma's application for a
permanent stay of prosecution on that date.
The court decision means that Zuma will almost certainly appear in the dock as a
serving president. Political tension has
increased before the election in which the ANC faces its
most serious contest since apartheid ended in
1994 *1.
Despite charges against him, the ANC has said he remains their candidate for the
presidency but the corruption case, which has
rumbled on for years, has hurt his reputation.
"This has really dragged on. The public trial has severely damaged his rights
and his right to a free trial and we (the ANC) stand firmly behind him," ANC
spokesperson Carl Niehaus told reporters outside the court.
Niehaus told national broadcaster SABC that it was Zuma's
38th court appearance over the past 7½ years.
Zuma has approached the country's highest court to try to have graft charges
against him dropped. An Appeals Court ruling, which overturned an earlier court
ruling, has cleared the way for prosecutors to pursue the corruption case
against Zuma.
A September ruling that dismissed the graft charges led to the ANC ousting
former President Thabo Mbeki, Zuma's longstanding
rival *2, but also split the party which has been in power since the end
of apartheid.
Mbeki supporters have since formed a dissident party, COPE, which poses the
first real challenge to the ANC in 15 years.
Mbeki has not given his support to the new party *3.
Writing by Marius Bosch; Editing by Katie Nguyen
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