State seeks to end two-decade delay in Zuma arms deal trial

The state prosecutor in the arms deal corruption case has launched an application seeking to stop the defence’s delaying tactics in a case that has spanned about two decades.

Former state president Jacob Zuma is accused, along with French arms company Thales, of multiple counts of fraud, racketeering, and money laundering.

The charges relate to the multibillion rand, 1999 controversial arms deal, which the government entered into with Thales.

The matter is back at the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg, where Thales and Zuma are seeking leave to appeal a previous ruling which dismissed their bid to have the charges dropped.

Since this matter was first enrolled in court back in 2005, former state president Jacob Zuma has launched eight interlocutory applications while Thales has filed four.

State prosecutor Wim Trengrove says these “hopeless applications” only serve to delay and frustrate court processes.

As a result, Trengrove has submitted what he calls the ‘stop Stalingrad tactics’ application.

“You can’t stop the accused from bringing further such applications; they are entitled to bring whatever applications they want but what one can do is to refuse to delay the trial any longer merely because there are such applications pending. That is the purpose of this application for the court to direct that the trial must go on regardless of whatever pending applications for leave to appeal might be in the background.”

Trengrove says he is aware that if his application is granted, the accused will probably challenge it all the way to the constitutional court.

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