Zuma Trial to Begin Tomorrow

The trial of former South African president Jacob Zuma is set to begin tomorrow.  The charges include 18 counts of fraud, corruption, money laundering and racketeering, mainly in relation to his connection with the French arms company Thales.

Both Zuma and Thales had their application for a permanent stay of the prosecution thrown out by the KwaZulu Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg last week.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) claimed that Zuma’s legal team deployed a “Stalingrad” defence in an attempt to frustrate the judicial process.

The term derives from the tactics used during the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942/43, during which the Red Army halted Germany’s advance further into Russia.  In legal terms, a Stalingrad defence is when the accused opposes everything the prosecution presents and appeals every ruling against them.

The charges against Zuma pertain to events back in 2005, during which it is suspected the then vice president offered lucrative procurement contracts to Thales in exchange for over R2 million in bribes.

These bribes were facilitated through Durban-based businessman Schabir Shaik, who was found convicted of corruption back in 2005 and was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.  This led to the then president Thabo Mbeki to sack Zuma from his government.

If convicted, Zuma could face up to 25 years in prison.