Jacob Zuma Due In Court Today For Arms Deal Corruption Case

Former President Jacob Zuma is expected to appear in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday in connection with the multi-billion-rand Arms Deal.

Zuma missed his last scheduled appearance in February, which led to an arrest warrant being issued against him.

While Tuesday’s proceedings are expected to be brief, the former statesman will need to prove to the court that he was in fact ill when he failed to pitch up.

Zuma’s attempts to have the fraud, corruption, and racketeering charges against him dropped were quashed by the Pietermaritzburg High Court.

In February, his then-lawyer Daniel Mantsha presented a sicknote from what he called a military hospital, claiming that the former president was ill and receiving medical treatment abroad.

But Judge Dhaya Pillay found issues with the note and told Mantsha that he had failed to give her sufficient evidence to back his claims.

Mantsha reacted by lashing out at the court through the media.

“He’s [Zuma] being persecuted and victimised. It is not about the administration of justice or securing him to come to court,” he said at the time.

Mantsha has since been replaced with Advocate Eric Mabuza.

In court papers filed on Friday, Zuma’s legal team – which includes Advocate Muzi Sikhakhane – accused the State of dragging the matter while the former president wanted the case concluded as soon as possible.

EWN