Staff ReporterSouth Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma has filed an appeal in his corruption trial after High Court judges ruled last week against his application that the case be dropped.
The corruption allegations, which Mr Zuma denies, date back to the country’s largest arms contract in the 1990s. The attempts to bring him to court stretch back 15 years.
Prosecutor Billy Downer said: “The State is really serious in getting this trial running as soon as practically possible, which is at the earliest date possible date next year.”
On Friday, a full bench of judges dismissed his application for a permanent stay of prosecution, saying he failed to prove to the court that there were no reasonable and probable grounds for his successful prosecution.
He previously argued for the case to be struck off the roll, saying the charges were politically motivated and that the unreasonable delays in prosecuting him have prejudiced him.
The matter has been postponed to 4 February 2020.
