Print

Mail

wiki links

Ruling by appellate court

The bitter power struggle between South African President Thabo Mbeki and his former deputy, Jacob Zuma, for control of the ruling African National Congress intensified yesterday when a South African court opened the way for Zuma to be charged with corruption over a multibillion-dollar weapons deal.

The court of appeal's ruling that the police seizure of allegedly incriminating documents from Zuma's home and office was legal was expected to undermine his campaign as the favored candidate to unseat Mbeki as party leader at an ANC congress next month and so become the country's president in 2009.

The court also said investigators could have access to papers about a meeting between Zuma and a French arms company, Thint, at which the payment of a substantial bribe was allegedly discussed.

After yesterday's rulings, the former deputy president said he would seek leave to appeal to the supreme court. Prosecutors said the rulings would allow them to finalize the case against Zuma, which follows the conviction of his financial adviser, Schabir Shaik, two years ago for bribing him on behalf of Thint. The court ruling comes six weeks before the ANC leadership election in which Zuma appears to be the only candidate capable of defeating Mbeki.

Mbeki is constitutionally barred from running again for president of the country in 18 months, but there is no legal obstacle to him remaining as the ANC's leader. If he were to win the party vote, he would probably be able to anoint his successor as South Africa's president.
This story has been viewed 1088 times.