Jacob Zuma/Thales corruption trial will proceed, after bid to have case dropped fails

702/CapeTalk's Africa Melane is joined by Advocate Stephanie Fick of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA).

Listen below:

Former President Jacob Zuma has lost his bid to have charges related to the controversial arms deal filed against him dropped.

The Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday dismissed an application brought by French arms company Thales and Zuma to be acquitted of the criminal charges.

Thales filed the application in May.

It argued that since two of its key witnesses had died, it would not be guaranteed a fair trial. 

Zuma joined Thales in its bid to have the charges dropped.

"Every now and then, there's this legal tactic to try and stop this trial. So, yes, this trial will actually start in December."

- Advocate Stephanie Fick, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse

Fick says she cannot see either Zuma or Thales using any other legal loopholes in a bid to avoid going to trial.

"In my mind, they have now done everything that they could... and you know, at some point, a court really needs to put its foot down."

- Advocate Stephanie Fick, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse

The Pietermaritzburg High Court found that the former president and Thales have a case to answer.

They face charges of corruption, fraud, racketeering and money laundering linked to the 1999 arms deal.

"Somewhere along the line, we need to see justice."

- Advocate Stephanie Fick, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse

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