By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Pietermaritzburg High Court has dismissed MK Party leader and former president Jacob Zuma and Thales’ appeal, paving the way for the long-awaited trial.
Zuma and Thales lodged an application for leave to appeal the court’s earlier decision dismissing their application to have the charges dropped.
In December last year, Judge Nkosinathi Chili reserved judgment on the duo’s latest attempt to have their corruption charges withdrawn.
Zuma and Thales applied to summarily acquitted of the arms deal corruption and racketeering charges on the basis that unreasonable delays had resulted in the deaths of crucial witnesses, Thales representative Alain Thétard and Pierre Moynot.
The arms deal case was declared trial-ready three years ago but has been delayed by Zuma’s repeated failed efforts to force the removal of his arms deal prosecutor, Billy Downer, as part of his Stalingrad strategy.
Judge Chili delivered the judgment on Wednesday.
“ Having considered all the grounds of appeal relied upon by both Mr Zuma and Thales, I am not persuaded that there are prospects of success on appeal. Neither am I persuaded that there are compelling reasons to grant leave to appeal in these circumstances. I make the following order: The application for leave to appeal by both Mr Zuma and Thales is dismissed.”
Chili has also dealt with the State’s application for the trial to proceed, even if there are outstanding appeals from both Zuma and Thales.
He says there is a matter at the Supreme Court that needs to be heard first.
“ The matter of Matric Luphondo versus the State, SCA Case Number 123 of 2024, which is presently before the Supreme Court of Appeal. I have since established that an appeal in that matter was argued and that the parties are awaiting judgment.
“The crucial issue in Luphondo, which finds resonance in the state’s application, is the question of whether the trial court should permit midstream appeals. For that reason, the matter is going to be adjourned to a date in April for judgment.”
The 81-year-old Zuma and Thales are facing multiple charges, including fraud, corruption, money laundering, and racketeering, in connection with the controversial multibillion-rand arms deal procured in the late 1990s while he was vice president.