Chief prosecutor says ex-president will face prosecution on charges that dogged him in office

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This article is more than 1 year old

South Africa’s chief prosecutor has said the former president Jacob Zuma will face prosecution on corruption charges that haunted much of his term in office.

Zuma, who was forced to resign by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) last month, will be prosecuted for corruption relating to a 30bn-rand (£1.8bn) arms deal in the late 1990s, Shaun Abrahams told a media conference on Friday.

“After consideration of the matter, I am of the view that there are reasonable prospects of successful prosecution of Mr Zuma on the charges listed in the indictment,” the chief prosecutor said. Zuma disputes all the allegations against him, he added.

Abrahams told a media conference that Zuma’s attempts to head off the charges that have been hanging over him for more than a decade had failed.

“I am of the view that a trial court would be the most appropriate forum for these issues to be ventilated and to be decided upon,” he said.



Zuma will face 16 charges relating to 783 counts of alleged wrongdoing, the spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority, Luvuyo Mfaku, said. The charges, which include racketeering, corruption, money laundering and fraud, carry lengthy custodial sentences on conviction.

“Zuma in addition disputes all the allegations against him and records that he lacked the requisite intention to commit any of the crimes listed in the indictment,” said Abrahams.

When he was deputy president, Zuma was linked to the arms deal through Schabir Shaikh, a former financial adviser who was jailed for corruption. The counts were filed but then dropped by the NPA shortly before Zuma successfully ran for president in 2009.

Zuma resigned as president last month embroiled in a storm of criticism and growing calls for him to step down after a series of corruption scandals while the country battled falling economic growth and record unemployment.



He was replaced by his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa, who has promised a robust campaign against corruption and also faces the tough task of rebuilding the popularity of the ruling ANC party since it took power at the end of white minority rule in 1994.

The former president could now appeal the ruling on a number of grounds and argue that the decision is illegitimate as Abrahams’ own position is uncertain.

The ANC responded to the reinstated charges against Zuma, saying it had confidence in the South African criminal justice system and was committed to the idea of “equality of all before the law”.

The party urged South Africans to allow prosecutors to do their work and cautioned that Zuma has the right to be “presumed innocent until and if proven guilty”.

In a separate case, South African authorities are seeking to arrest members of the Gupta business family, which allegedly used its connections to Zuma to influence cabinet appointments and win state contracts. Additionally, a judicial panel is preparing to view allegations of corruption at high-levels of the South African government during Zuma’s years in office.

In another scandal, South Africa’s top court ruled in 2016 that Zuma violated the constitution after an investigation of multimillion-dollar upgrades to his private home using state funds. He paid back some of the money.

South Africa’s main opposition party, which fought for years in court to get charges reinstated against Zuma, welcomed Abrahams’ decision.

“Now there must be no further delay in starting the trial,” said Mmusi Maimane, the leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance. “The witnesses are ready, the evidence is strong, and Jacob Zuma must finally have his day in court.”</s>The director of South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority says that former president Jacob Zuma will be prosecuted on 16 charges of corruption.

Shaun Abrahams announced Friday that Zuma will face charges including fraud, corruption, racketeering and money laundering.

Zuma, 75, resigned as president last month, after he was ordered to do so by his party, the African National Congress.

The charges stem from a $2.5 billion government arms purchase in 1999, when Zuma was deputy president. Zuma was elected president in 2009.</s>Former South African president Jacob Zuma will face old charges of fraud, racketeering and money laundering, prosecutors announced Friday, deepening the legal woes of a leader whose tenure was marked by scandals.

Shaun Abrahams, head of the National Prosecuting Authority, noted the "long history" of the reinstated charges against Zuma, which were thrown out by prosecutors nearly a decade ago in a contentious decision that opened the way for him to become president. The charges relate to an arms deal in the 1990s, when Zuma was deputy president.

"After consideration of the matter, I am of the view that there are reasonable prospects of a successful prosecution of Mr. Zuma on the charges listed in the indictment," Abrahams said.

The chief prosecutor said there were 16 counts against Zuma, and that the former president had said he was a victim of misconduct by prosecutors as well as leaks to the media.

"Mr. Zuma in addition disputes all the allegations against him and records that he lacked the requisite intention to commit any of the crimes listed in the indictment," said Abrahams, who himself faced calls to resign for allegedly declining to move against Zuma when he was in office.

Zuma, 75, resigned as president last month after he was ordered to do so by his party, the African National Congress. He was replaced by his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa, who has promised a robust campaign against corruption and also faces the tough task of rebuilding the popularity of a ruling party whose moral stature has diminished since it took power at the end of white minority rule in 1994.

The ANC responded to the reinstated charges against Zuma, saying it has confidence in the South African criminal justice system and is committed to the idea of "equality of all before the law."

The ruling party urged South Africans to allow prosecutors to do their work and cautioned that Zuma has the right to be "presumed innocent until and if proven guilty."

In a separate case, South African authorities are seeking to arrest members of the Gupta business family, which allegedly used its connections to Zuma to influence Cabinet appointments and win state contracts. Additionally, a judicial panel is preparing to view allegations of corruption at high levels of the South African government during Zuma's years in office.

In another scandal, South Africa's top court ruled in 2016 that Zuma violated the constitution following an investigation of multi-million-dollar upgrades to his private home using state funds. He paid back some of the money.

South Africa's main opposition party, which fought for years in court to get charges reinstated against Zuma, welcomed Abrahams' decision.

"Now there must be no further delay in starting the trial," said Mmusi Maimane, leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance. "The witnesses are ready, the evidence is strong, and Jacob Zuma must finally have his day in court."</s>Former South African president Jacob Zuma was charged with corruption on Friday over a $2.5 billion state arms deal, a stunning judicial ruling on a continent where political 'Big Men' rarely face their day in court.

Zuma, who was forced to resign by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) last month, was at the centre of the deal to buy European military kit that has cast a shadow over politics in Africa's most industrialized economy for years.

Chief state prosecutor Shaun Abrahams told a media conference that Zuma's attempts to head off the charges that have been hanging over him for more than a decade had failed.

The 75-year-old disputed all the allegations against him, he added.

"After consideration of the matter, I am of the view that there are reasonable prospects of successful prosecution of Mr Zuma on the charges listed in the indictment," Abrahams said.

"I am of the view that a trial court would be the most appropriate forum for these issues to be ventilated and to be decided upon," he said.

Zuma will face 16 charges relating to 783 instances of alleged wrongdoing, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Luvuyo Mfaku said.

Then deputy president, Zuma was linked to the arms deal through Schabir Shaikh, his former financial adviser who was jailed for corruption. The counts were filed but then dropped by the NPA shortly before Zuma successfully ran for president in 2009.

Since his election, his opponents fought a lengthy legal battle to have the charges reinstated. Zuma countered with his own legal challenges.

Zuma has also been implicated by South Africa's anti-corruption watchdog in a 2016 report that alleges the Gupta family, billionaire friends of Zuma, used links with him to win state contracts. The Guptas and Zuma have denied any wrongdoing.</s>PRETORIA, (Reuters) – Former South African President Jacob Zuma will be prosecuted for corruption relating to a 30 billion rand ($2.5 billion) arms deal in the late 1990s, chief state prosecutor Shaun Abrahams said today.

“After consideration of the matter, I am of the view that there are reasonable prospects of successful prosecution of Mr Zuma on the charges listed in the indictment,” Abrahams said.

Zuma disputes all the allegations against him, he added.</s>Share On more Share On more

NAIROBI — Former South African President Jacob Zuma, who was forced out of office by his own party last month, is facing multiple charges of money laundering, corruption, and racketeering, the nation’s prosecuting body announced Friday.

The charges are all connected to a $2.5 billion arms deal made in the late 1990s, before Zuma became president in 2009.

"I am of the view that there are reasonable prospects of a successful prosecution of Mr Zuma," National Prosecuting Authority director Shaun Abrahams said Friday, as he reinstated charges first laid down in 2007.

Zuma had previously attempted to get the case dismissed, arguing that he had not intended to commit the crimes he’s been charged with.</s>PRETORIA: Former South African president Jacob Zuma is to face corruption charges over a $2.5 billion arms deal, prosecutors said, as a years-old scandal returned to haunt him within weeks of his fall from power.



It was a stunning judicial development on a continent where political “Big Men” rarely have to face their accusers in court.

Zuma, who was forced to resign by his ruling African National Congress (ANC) last month, was at the center of a 1990s deal to buy European military kit that has cast a shadow over politics in South Africa for years.

Chief state prosecutor Shaun Abrahams told a media conference on Friday that Zuma’s attempts to head off the charges hanging over him for more than a decade had failed.

The 75-year-old denied all the allegations against him, Abrahams added.

“After consideration of the matter, I am of the view that there are reasonable prospects of successful prosecution of Mr Zuma on the charges listed in the indictment,” Abrahams said.

“I am of the view that a trial court would be the most appropriate forum for these issues to be ventilated and to be decided upon.”

Zuma will face 16 charges relating to 783 instances of alleged wrongdoing, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Luvuyo Mfaku said.

Twelve are of fraud, one of racketeering, two of corruption and one of money laundering.

There was no immediate comment from Zuma and it was not immediately clear when the former leader might go to trial.

Zuma was deputy president at the time of the arms deal. Schabir Shaikh, his former financial adviser, was found guilty and jailed in 2005 for trying to solicit bribes for Zuma from a French arms company.

The 16 counts were filed against Zuma but then dropped by the NPA shortly before he successfully ran for president in 2009.

Since his election nine years ago, his opponents have fought a lengthy legal battle to have the charges reinstated. Zuma countered with his own legal challenges.

The ANC said it had confidence in the country’s criminal justice system and the independence of the judiciary.

“We continue to assert the inalienable right of all in our country, including Comrade Jacob Zuma, to be presumed innocent until and if proven guilty,” the party said in a statement.

Mmusi Maimane, the official opposition leader and head of the Democratic Alliance party, said: “This is a victory for all who have fought for years for Jacob Zuma to face accountability for his crimes. That accountability starts now.”

Pierre de Vos, a law professor at the University of Cape Town, said Zuma could seek a court order to block the case against him by asking for “a permanent stay of prosecution so that the court decides whether he is capable of getting a fair trial. That could be done of course, that is a possibility”.

In 2016, Zuma said a four-year investigation he set up while president had found no evidence of widespread bribery, corruption or fraud in the selection of bidders to supply the arms. Nor had it found evidence that officials were bribed in an attempt to influence the deal.

The former South African leader was beset by scandal during his tenure as president.

He survived several motions of no-confidence in parliament and the Constitutional Court said he breached the law by ignoring an order to repay some of the $16 million in state funds spent on renovating his home. Zuma has since repaid some of the money, as ordered by the court.

The former president has also been implicated by South Africa’s anti-corruption watchdog in a 2016 report that alleges the Gupta family, billionaire friends of Zuma, used links with him to win state contracts. An inquiry on the influence-peddling allegations is due to start soon.

The Guptas and Zuma have denied any wrongdoing.</s>Former South African president Jacob Zuma to be prosecuted for corruption (state prosecutor)

africanews | South Africa’s state prosecutor Shaun Abrahams has announced that charges of corruption, fraud and racketeering will be reinstated against former president Jacob Zuma.

The charges relate to a 30 billion rand ($2.5 billion) arms deal in the late 1990s, when Zuma was deputy president.

While Zuma has consistently denied the allegations, Abrahams told journalists the state has a ‘reasonable prospect of successful prosecution’.

‘‘After consideration of the matter, I am of the view that there are reasonable prospects of successful prosecution of Mr Zuma on the charges of the indictment,’‘ Abrahams said.

The decision comes after a long legal battle to reinstate the charges related to 783 payments made to Zuma by his former advisor Shabir Shaik.

Last year, the Supreme Court of Appeal upheld the ruling which set aside the 2009 decision to withdraw the case against the former president.

A team of five senior state prosecutors spent four weeks studying Zuma’s reasons why he should not have his day in court after submitting them at the end of January.

Abrahams announced two weeks ago that he had received a recommendation from the team and was ready to make the announcement.

It’s understood more than 200 witnesses have already confirmed their availability to testify if Zuma’s case goes on trial.

The ruling Africa National Congress (ANC) has released a statement reacting to the reinstatement of charges against the party and country’s former president.

The statement that was tweeted said the party believes in the country’s criminal justice system, urged South Africans to accord the state prosecution space to conduct its work unhindered and reiterated Zuma’s constitutional right to be treated as innocent until proven guilty.</s>South Africa's former President, Jacob Zuma, is to face prosecution for 16 charges of corruption, Chief Prosecutor Shaun Abrahams has confirmed.

Mr Abrahams said he believed there were "reasonable prospects of a successful prosecution".

The charges - which Mr Zuma denies - include counts of fraud, racketeering and money laundering.

Mr Zuma, 75, was forced to resign as president last month by his party, the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

He was facing his ninth no-confidence vote in parliament before he left office.

The charges relate to a 30bn rand ($2.5bn; £1.7bn) government arms deal in the late 1990s, before he became president.

Mr Zuma is alleged to have sought bribes from a French arms company to support an extravagant lifestyle. His financial adviser at the time was found guilty of soliciting those bribes in 2005 and Mr Zuma was later sacked as deputy president.

He now faces one charge of racketeering, two charges of corruption, one charge of money laundering and 12 of fraud.
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Shaun Abrahams, head of the National Prosecuting Authority, said a trial court was the appropriate place for the matter to be decided.

He dismissed representations made by Mr Zuma asking that the charges be dropped.

The former ANC chief had argued that the charges against him were characterised by misconduct, "irrational behaviour" and media leaks on the part of prosecutors, Mr Abrahams said.

Mr Zuma has always denied the allegations against him.

As Jacob Zuma is no longer president, he cannot use state resources to support his defence.

But let's not get too ahead of ourselves - Mr Zuma is known for fighting every single battle right until the end.

Therefore, expect some pushback even after this heavy blow.

He is, by law, allowed to challenge this decision. In other words we might see a delay before any trial actually starts.

And even when the trial begins, it will be long and drawn out.

But for now his political enemies, particularly the opposition, are celebrating that he is closer to facing a judge in court than ever before.

Mr Zuma weathered an array of corruption allegations during his nine years in power.

In 2016, a report by South Africa's anti-corruption watchdog alleged that the billionaire Gupta family had exploited their ties with him to win state contracts.
• Who are the Guptas?

Both the Guptas and Mr Zuma deny any wrongdoing.

The same year, South Africa's highest court ruled that Mr Zuma had violated the constitution when he failed to repay government money spent on his private home.

An anti-corruption body found he had spent $23m (£15m) on refurbishments including a swimming pool and an amphitheatre. He has since repaid some of the money.
• First filed in 2005 when Mr Zuma's financial adviser, Schabir Shaik, was jailed for fraud and corruption.
• Mr Zuma went on trial in 2006 but the case collapsed when the prosecution said it was not ready to proceed more than a year after he was charged.
• South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) controversially dropped the charges in 2009, shortly before he won the presidency.
• Political opponents campaigned tirelessly for him to face trial.
• South Africa's High Court reinstated the charges in 2016 and Mr Zuma lost a Supreme Court appeal to overturn them.
• The country's chief prosecutor, Shaun Abrahams, has now decided to pursue a case against the former president.

In 1999, the South African government announced its largest-ever post-apartheid arms deal, signing contracts totalling 30bn rand ($5bn; £2.5bn) to modernise its national defence force

The deal involved companies from Germany, Italy, Sweden, the UK, France and South Africa

Allegations of bribery over the deal dogged the governments of both President Jacob Zuma and and one of his predecessors, Thabo Mbeki.

Schabir Shaik was found guilty in 2005 of trying to solicit a bribe from Thint, the local subsidiary of French arms firm Thales, on behalf of Mr Zuma. He was released on parole on health grounds after serving just over two years

Another official, Tony Yengeni, who was chairman of parliament's defence committee at the time of the deal and chief whip of the ANC, was convicted of fraud in 2003. He was also freed on parole after serving five months of a four-year sentence.</s>Shaun Abrahams announced on Friday that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) would be reinstating 16 charges, which include fraud and corruption, against former president Jacob Zuma.

"I am of the view that there are reasonable prospects of a successful prosecution of Zuma in the charges listed in the indictment," Abrahams said.

The charges relate to a R30-billion government arms deal in the late 1990s. They were filed but then dropped by the NPA shortly before Zuma ran for president in 2009.

Zuma — then deputy president — was linked to the deal through Schabir Shaik, his former financial adviser who was jailed for corruption.
South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority Director Shaun Abrahams says former President Jacob Zuma will be prosecuted for corruption, relating to a R30 billion arms deal in the late 1990s. Zuma disputes all the allegations against him.