Corruption trial of former South African president postponed

Jacob Zuma, 79, faces 18 charges including corruption, money laundering, racketeering linked to $2.5 billion arms deal

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - A South African court on Tuesday postponed the corruption trial of former President Jacob Zuma to Sept. 9, following his hospitalization last week.

Zuma, 79, currently serving a 15-month sentence for contempt of court, was taken to a hospital outside the prison facility for an undisclosed illness.

His detention last month led to riots and looting. Riots claimed more than 200 lives and damages are estimated in the billions of South African rands.

The former president is jointly accused with French arms firm Thales and is facing 18 charges, including corruption, money laundering and tax evasion racketeering linked to a $2.5 billion arms deal dating to the late 1990s.

Zuma and Thales have denied any wrongdoing.

Charges against Zuma were dropped in 2009 by former National Prosecuting Authority head Mokotedi Mpshe weeks before he was elected president.

They were reinstated in 2018, marking one of the longest-running legal battles in the country.

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