A South African High court in Pretoria has set aside a 2009 decision discontinuing a corruption case against President Jacob Zuma and dropping all 783 charges.
The charges filed against Jacob Zuma were dropped by the former head of the National Prosecuting Authority, Mokotedi Mpshe.
The corruption charges relate to a multi billion dollar arms deal and Mpshe contended that a series of taped conversations now known as the ‘spy tapes’ between senior political officials showed that there was political interference in Zuma’s case.
The prosecutor’s justification for dropping the charges paved the way for Zuma to run for the Presidency. South Africa’s main opposition party insisted that “the decision taken by the then acting national director of public prosecutions, Mokotedi Mpshe, was irrational, unreasonable and made with an ulterior political motive”
The ruling by Judge Aubrey Ledwaba relied on an examination of affidavits by Mpshe and the judge ruled that the director of prosecution at the time acted ‘alone and impulsively’ and set aside the 2009 ruling.
It is the second legal battle the increasingly unpopular Zuma is losing in as many months after a constitutional court ordered him to repay state funds he used to renovate his private residence.
The NPA under the leadership of Shaun Abrahams will now decide if Zuma will be recharged.
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