DECISION ON ZUMA GRAFT CHARGE DUE
Prosecutors in South Africa are set to announce whether they will drop corruption charges against African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma.
Mr Zuma is widely expected to become the country's next president after elections later this month.
He is accused of graft, racketeering and money-laundering in connection with an arms deal signed with western companies in 1999.
The 66-year-old denies the charges and says they are part of a political plot.
Mr Zuma was first charged in 2005, but has yet to face trial.
The charges have twice been put on hold - most recently in September 2008, when the judge ruled that there had been political interference in the case while Mr Zuma's rival for party leadership, Thabo Mbeki, was president.
ZUMA TIMELINE
June 2005: Sacked as deputy president
October 2005: Charged with corruption
December 2005: Charged with rape
April 2006: Acquitted of rape charges
September 2006: Corruption case collapses
December 2007: Elected ANC president; re-charged with corruption shortly afterwards
September 2008: Judge rules corruption case cannot proceed
January 2009: Prosecutors win appeal, opening the way for Zuma to be recharged
April 2009: Elections due
Timeline: Zuma's legal problems
S Africa's controversial arms deal
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) successfully appealed, but Mr Zuma then lodged a legal request for the charges to be reviewed.
South Africa is expected to come to a standstill briefly on Monday as people tune in to hear the NPA's decision broadcast live on radio and television.
The BBC's Mpho Lakaje in Johannesburg says state prosecutors and Mr Zuma's lawyers have been locked in meetings in recent weeks.
The ANC leader's legal team has submitted new information it says proves there was political meddling in the case against him, adds our correspondent.
It is believed to include taped conversations of those involved in the alleged plot.
The South African press has widely reported that the prosecution will not proceed with the case.
If this is true, an outcry is expected from other political parties.
They have previously condemned any move to drop charges against the ANC leader, saying it would be a clear interference in the judiciary by the government.
Opposition Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi told the BBC: "If the charges are just dropped when there is no trial it seems to me the stink of what they accused him of will not go away."
There is no presidential immunity in South Africa, but the idea of taking the president to court is something few prosecutors would relish, our correspondent adds.
South Africa will hold presidential elections on 22 April.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Labels: South-Africa Zuma Graft Corruption Charges Case ANC Elections Mbeki Trial Plot Rpe Corruption
posted by jackaranda at 9:00 am
1 Comments:
Mr Zuma - if he truely had the interests of the nation at heart more than hungry personal ambition - would not run for office since, as he knows, his election will provoke civil disatisfaction, cynicsm, and probably great unrest. A great man and true leader would not seek that for his own people. A good man and a great one would retire from public office to avoid that outcome.
We see Mr Zuma likes slogans and expensive suits. We see that Mr Zuma is of the same ilk as Mr Mugabe. We think his supporters are like those of the Zanu-PF.
His election will cast an international shadow of shame over SA as the backroom NPA dismissal of charges against him already has. I'll bet even his own supporters do not really believe the man is innocent of corruption.
If he so lusts for the office of presidency, let all evidence be heard and seen publically. We think it possible that Zuma himself paid for those tapes to be planted.
Actually, we think that the possibility of Mr JZ becoming president will cost the ANC the election.
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