Former South African president Jacob Zuma returned to the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday for the continuation of his arms deal trial but the proceedings are expected to be postponed again awaiting the outcome of a Supreme Court of Appeal application to have the prosecutor removed.
Last month High Court judge Piet Koen granted a postponement pending the outcome of Zuma’s application to Supreme Court judge president Mandisa Maya which is yet to be considered.
Zuma wants Maya to reconsider his application to have lead prosecutor Billy Downer dismissed for alleged bias against the former president. The Supreme Court had earlier denied Zuma’s application for leave to appeal.
The former president is facing 16 corruption charges alongside Thales, the French arms manufacturer, dating back to 1999 when he was deputy president under President Thabo Mbeki.
Mbeki dismissed him from the vice presidency over the corruption allegations, the presidency said at the time.
NM/jn/APA