Former President Jacob Zuma is preparing to challenge a Pietermaritzburg High Court ruling that has cleared the way for the long-delayed Arms Deal trial to begin next year.
Zuma and French defence company Thales are facing corruption charges linked to South Africa’s multibillion-dollar 1999 Arms Deal.
On Thursday, the Pietermaritzburg High Court granted the state’s application to move the case forward, setting 1 February next year as the trial date.
[High Court Orders State And Defence To Finalise Jacob Zuma Arms Deal Trial Dates]
The state had asked the court to allow the matter to proceed to trial regardless of any outstanding interlocutory applications.
Zuma and Thales had sought to have the charges against them withdrawn, arguing that the deaths of several key witnesses would make it impossible for them to receive a fair trial.
However, Judge Chili dismissed those arguments and ruled that the matter should proceed without any further postponements.
Jacob Zuma Foundation Slams Judgment As Legally Flawed
In a statement issued after the ruling, the Jacob Zuma Foundation said Zuma would apply for leave to appeal the decision.
The foundation described the judgment as “totally erroneous and constitutes multiple and gross misdirections of fact and law”.
It added that there are “prospects of having the judgment reversed and overturned on appeal to a higher court.”
