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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Zuma setback in corruption case | Zuma setback in corruption case |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| South African ruling party leader Jacob Zuma has lost a legal bid to stop documents being used as evidence in his corruption trial that starts next week. | South African ruling party leader Jacob Zuma has lost a legal bid to stop documents being used as evidence in his corruption trial that starts next week. |
| The country's highest court upheld earlier rulings allowing prosecutors to present documents seized from Mr Zuma's home and other locations. | |
| Mr Zuma is accused of racketeering, corruption, money laundering and fraud in connection with a giant arms deal. | Mr Zuma is accused of racketeering, corruption, money laundering and fraud in connection with a giant arms deal. |
| The favourite to succeed Thabo Mbeki as president, he denies the charges. | The favourite to succeed Thabo Mbeki as president, he denies the charges. |
| South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) said it respected the court's decision, but doubted whether Mr Zuma would get a fair trial. | South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) said it respected the court's decision, but doubted whether Mr Zuma would get a fair trial. |
| 'Persecuted' | 'Persecuted' |
| The way the case has been handled had reinforced the perception that the ANC president was being persecuted rather than prosecuted, the party said. | The way the case has been handled had reinforced the perception that the ANC president was being persecuted rather than prosecuted, the party said. |
| It said party leaders and supporters would rally outside Pietermaritzburg High Court in KwaZulu-Natal province next Monday, where Mr Zuma is expected to ask for the charges against him to be thrown out. | It said party leaders and supporters would rally outside Pietermaritzburg High Court in KwaZulu-Natal province next Monday, where Mr Zuma is expected to ask for the charges against him to be thrown out. |
| Mr Zuma, 66, who was not in court to hear the ruling, has said he will step down as ANC leader if convicted. | Mr Zuma, 66, who was not in court to hear the ruling, has said he will step down as ANC leader if convicted. |
| He was the country's deputy president before being fired in 2005 when his financial adviser, Schabir Shaik, was found guilty of soliciting a bribe on behalf of Mr Zuma and jailed for 15 years in connection with an arms deal. | He was the country's deputy president before being fired in 2005 when his financial adviser, Schabir Shaik, was found guilty of soliciting a bribe on behalf of Mr Zuma and jailed for 15 years in connection with an arms deal. |
| Mr Zuma then went on trial, but the case collapsed in 2006 when the prosecution said it was not ready to proceed - a court had ruled that documents obtained during raids could not be used by prosecutors because the search warrants used by police were illegal. | Mr Zuma then went on trial, but the case collapsed in 2006 when the prosecution said it was not ready to proceed - a court had ruled that documents obtained during raids could not be used by prosecutors because the search warrants used by police were illegal. |
| Last year, the Supreme Court upheld appeals against this ruling, saying that the tens of thousands of pages of seized documents could be used in evidence. | Last year, the Supreme Court upheld appeals against this ruling, saying that the tens of thousands of pages of seized documents could be used in evidence. |
| In Thursday's ruling, Chief Justice Pius Langa said the Constitutional Court had found "nothing untoward" in a raid by South Africa's Scorpions police unit on Mr Zuma's home in August 2005, AFP news agency reports. | |
| It ordered Mr Zuma to pay legal costs in the case. He argues that moves against him are politically motivated. | It ordered Mr Zuma to pay legal costs in the case. He argues that moves against him are politically motivated. |
| He was charged last December shortly after winning a bitter campaign against President Mbeki to become ANC leader. | He was charged last December shortly after winning a bitter campaign against President Mbeki to become ANC leader. |
| In February 2006, Mr Zuma was acquitted of rape in a separate case, though he was widely criticised for comments about sex and HIV/Aids. | In February 2006, Mr Zuma was acquitted of rape in a separate case, though he was widely criticised for comments about sex and HIV/Aids. |