PIETERMARITZBURG – The Pietermaritzburg High Court has dismissed an application by former president Jacob Zuma and French arms company Thales to have the long-standing arms deal corruption charges dropped.
Thales, Zuma’s co-accused in the case, argued that the death of two key witnesses — both former employees — had compromised its constitutional right to a fair trial. The company claimed that without these testimonies, its ability to defend itself had been severely weakened.
However, the court disagreed, ruling that the loss of witnesses did not justify the termination of the case, especially given the public interest in accountability and justice in high-level corruption matters.
⚖️ Charges Still Stand
The ruling means Zuma and Thales will now proceed to trial, where they face charges including:
- Corruption
- Money laundering
- Racketeering
- Fraud
These stem from the controversial multi-billion rand arms deal signed in the late 1990s.
